Time Enough For Heroism
by C. Mage
Summary: There's a reason why the Doctor was the only survivor of the Great Time War that he knew about. Someone else survived because he ran away, only he went further away than the Doctor ever had...and the Time Lord's problems have only just begun...
1. Chapter 1

**Time Enough For Heroism, Part One:** **Albuquerque**

 **By C. Mage**

.

.

You know...my days don't usually go this far bad this quickly.

Perhaps I should elaborate. I'm currently in a locked cell. My means of transport is under lock and key. The people imprisoning me hate me merely for being what I am. They're primitive, backwards and extremely hostile. They're likely discussing what horrible punishment to visit upon me.

And it's not even noon yet.

Usually, I have to do more to be able to earn this sort of hostility. I didn't even do that much. I landed, scanned around to look for large cities or technology centers, then grabbed my tackle box and fishing rod and headed for the nearby lake. I made camp, watched the sun come up over the mountain, caught four nice-sized fish, was _just_ starting to fry up nice…

Next thing I know, I've got four beautiful women dressed like gladiators...or is it "gladiatrixes"? "Gladiatrices"? Titles are hard sometimes...where was I? Oh yes, the women pointing swords at me. And from the looks on their faces, they weren't happy to see me. The only time they spoke to me was to either bark orders or tell me how despicable I was because I was guilty of being male.

Should've caught me two regenerations ago.

They walked me out of my camp and towards their city, and as I was pushed through the forest, we came upon a city...and _what_ a city! Greek architecture, statues, monuments...and populated solely by women who were so gorgeous, the "ugliest" of them would've won beauty pageants without having to do more than show up in a gown and a bathing suit. And every single one of them were athletic, dressed in ancient Greek fashions, and completely unhappy with the idea of seeing me. They gave the same kinds of looks reserved for something insectoid and slimy.

They took me to a sturdy stone building with six cells, metal bound doors and, from the looks of the keys, complex tumbler locks. One of them kicked me into the cell and I turned around to see them close the door and lock it securely. "Prepare yourself, MALE," one of them spat at me, then they walked away, leaving one guard.

I sat down. It was clear they thought I was stupid or ineffectual, since they didn't bother hiding the local landmarks from me...wait. I just realized, I haven't even introduced myself.

Hello. I'm the Gambler.

I don't give out my real name to a lot of people, so don't feel insulted. I'm an alien called a Time Lord. Yes, I know it sounds awfully elitist, but they've been calling themselves that long before I was born, so what can you do? They told me I used to be someone...well, let's call a spade a spade, I was someone pretty awful. Those that knew me called me "The Scourge", and I was pretty mean to a lot of people, thinking that because I was a Time Lord, I was better than them, and that I could do whatever I wanted.

They said I hurt a lot of people. Caused them serious harm. Killed people. They called me a monster. Finally, in a rare moment of clarity and sanity, I realized that I couldn't go on like that...even if it meant giving up myself. I parked myself on Earth in the uncharted Old West...and made the old me go away.

I settled into a new life, taking up a new life, satisfying myself with no memories of my old life, no more regenerations. My TARDIS to sit unused. It would've been a fine life as penance for my deeds...but, like all kinds of plans, something went wrong.

My second heart began to beat again.

When it first happened, I didn't know what was going on. I didn't notice it at first until I lay awake one night and heard it awaken in my chest. Scared the bajeezus out of me, let me tell you. I heard the whispers, found the TARDIS, and I sat there for a long time, letting my TARDIS tell me who I was.

I learned I was a Time Lord. I heard about the horrors of who I was. I felt sick for a week. When I finally heard enough, I picked myself up and swore that the Scourge was dead and gone. And I was going to spend the rest of my life, however long or short that was going to be, atoning for the things the Scourge had done.

I would've felt better about that decision if I knew how the Hades to pilot the TARDIS. Spent the next few decades earning my living as a blacksmith and spending a great deal of my free time learning how the TARDIS worked and how to fly it. Short hops at first, then more and more. Finally, I'd picked up enough to feel safe knowing what to do, and more of me came back, the awareness and sensitivity of a Time Lord. It was like discovering I had three or few new senses.

Problem was...I had no knowledge of the Time Lords, or much else. Compared to your average, run-of-the-mill Time Lords, I was a blithering moron. The data on the TARDIS helped, somewhat. Understanding it from a textbook is not much, but it was something.

I tried not to let it get to me, but there were days where I was worse than others.

I travelled in time and space, learning things, getting into trouble. Only been at it for a few decades. I made something of a reputation for being someone who takes chances. Wish I could say it all turned out for the best, but sometimes, I come there too late or don't have what I need to make everyone happy and safe. Most of the time, I had to settle for "safe". A few times, I couldn't even do that.

I wish I could be better. Doesn't everyone?

* * *

Hang on, someone's knocking at my door. Wait. Not the door.

The wall.

I lean closer to it and ask, "So, what are YOU in for?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm the Gambler. Who are you?"

"I am Ares, the god of war."

"...sure, why not?" So he thinks he's the god of war. Maybe his cell has padded walls. I'm starting to get a little jealous. "How long you been in there?"

"Nearly two thousand years."

"Wow. What for?"

"I was rejected by Hippolyta, condemned to imprisonment out of spite."

"I take it she never forgave you?"

"Not yet."

I am pretty sure I blinked at that. "She's still alive?"

"Of course. Amazons are practically immortal."

"Yeah, know how that is."

A pause. I can practically hear the words sinking in. "What are you?"

"I told you. I'm the Gambler."

"And who is the Gambler?"

"Me."

"...your evasive nature will not serve you here. And if you are hoping that your charm will sway them towards letting you leave, I have some heartbreaking news for you. They do not respond to charm."

"Good thing I'm not relying on it, then. I am curious, though. They took my guns from me before dropping me in here. Will they bring them within my proximity if they choose to interrogate me?"

"WHEN they interrogate you. And I cannot be sure. Men are not usually interrogated. They are slain."

"SLAIN...well, I imagine they'll want to talk with me first. If they wanted me dead, they would've tried to kill me already." A hard, deliberate knock came, at the door this time. "Whoops, gotta go. If they're going to torture me, I hope they use the rack, first. I need to loosen up a bit."

"Get up, prisoner. The Queen wishes to speak with you."

"I guess that's my cue. Gotta go, Ares, but if you _are_ the god of war, then there's something I'd like to say to you before I go."

"And what is that?" comes the bemused tone as they chain me up.

"Seen your work...and not a fan."

* * *

I was pushed along, as if they thought I wasn't eager to see more of this place. I was guided to a grand chamber and pushed into a stone chair. They took off the chains, but then tied me down using rope. As I looked around, I saw a lot of hard faces trying to cover the fact that they hated me and feared me in equal measures. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. What kind of monster would feed that kind of hatred?

Then I saw her. Fair of hair and face. Truly regal bearing. Dressed in queenly robes and wearing jewelry worth a few credits. She walked up to me and looked me in the eyes.

I think I just found my monster. "Queen Hippolyta, I presume?"

For that, I got a nice, hard slap across the face. "Males do not speak unless spoken to _first._ "

"Now, that was just plain rude."

"What are you doing here on Themiscyra, home of the Amazons?"

"Fishing."

"Don't be insolent!" She looked at me coldly, as if I was a piece of floating slime that dared to show up in her swimming pool. "I'll have the truth out of you."

"I'm _telling_ you the truth. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a good spot to fish?" I watched as she pulled out some rope that looked like it was made of gold. "And I've got _enough_ rope, thanks."

She smiled and placed the rope around my shoulders. I couldn't believe it, I was actually lassoed like some bull. "Now, what is your name?"

The lasso glowed with a golden light and I answered, "The Gambler." Normally this wouldn't be a problem, except that I wasn't consciously saying it. It was like someone else was taking the reins on my vocal cords.

The women looked at each other, then the Queen asked, "Why did you come to this island?"

"To relax and do some fishing," my mouth said, then I added when the rope stopped glowing, "There's no need for that, you know, I'm perfectly capable to telling the truth on my OWN, thanks much."

"Men are lying, warlike, domineering thugs. It is in your nature to lie, deceive and conquer."

"Oh for Heaven's sake...if you don't want me to be here, I'll be more than happy to leave and never come back."

"Why should I believe you?" Queen Hippolyta demanded. "You know where the island is, you know there are women here. You could come back with all your kind and make war on us."

I looked up at her. "Are you kidding me? Conquer? Dominate? Take over this little _scrap_ of land? Not a chance. Besides...I don't have a 'kind' anymore. Look, just let me go, I'll leave and never come back here again."

I don't know what I said to the Queen or how I said it, but she removed the lasso. "Take him away. I have sent for Princess Diana...perhaps she has a thought or two about what should be done with this male."

I waited until she was far enough away, then I said, "Look, before you throw me back in that hole, I gotta ask: what's the story with Ares?" Hippolyta stopped, then looked at me. In that expression, everything was laid bare. "Holy smokes...I can't believe I didn't see it before...now I know why you hate men. You fell in love with Ares and he betrayed you, and now all men get to share your hatred of him."

"BE...SILENT!" She grabbed a sword from one of the warriors and held it to my neck. "Or I will separate your head from the rest of you!"

I kept my mouth shut. I couldn't help but feel pity for her, and the rest of her people. Well, if she wanted to isolate herself from the rest of the world, that's her own choice. I would've loved to find out how that golden rope worked, but I had more important things to think about.

Like escape.

"Take this...thing back to its cell." She dropped the sword and walked away, and I wasn't the only one who saw she was shaken. The guards were none too gentle, obviously not too happy with me angering their queen, practically tossing me back into my cell and slamming the door.

"So...I see you've met the Queen," came Ares' voice to my right.

"Yeah, we had a nice chat. Found out why every woman here hates men...they've clearly learned how to despise the male gender by learning that from their Queen. Oh yeah, by the way, you're a real polecat, you know that? I can only guess what you did to her to make her act this way for this long."

"She doesn't understand the nature of things, and it'll only be a matter of time before she realizes the truth. I've waited this long, after all." This guy's voice makes my skin crawl, makes me think he's got his own plans for breaking out. And I ain't none too happy with that idea.

"Well, when I leave, remind me not to take you with me."

"This cell has contained a god for centuries. What makes you think you can escape?"

"Easy. I'm not a god."

* * *

Laying down gave me a chance to get some perspective. Something was off about this place. Not _wrong_ , per se, just...off. I figured I'd give these Amazons one more chance to come to their senses and realize that I'm not a threat to them, and then I'll go in peace to find someplace else to fish.

And if they don't...Plan B.

I heard someone approaching and the door unlock. No banging on the door, no sounds of feet. Whoever's opening the door came by herself. I sat up, dusted myself off and waited. The door opened and...whoa. This had to be the most impressive specimen of womanhood yet.

 _Definitely_ a figure that would inspire wonder.

Of course, I am not without my manners, so I stood up. She stood there in front of me, looking me over. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Gambler. You must be Princess Diana." I smiled. "Lucky guess."

"You said you came here...for the fishing?" She walked around me. "You picked a bad place to come unannounced."

"So people around here keep telling me. I keep trying to tell you ladies, I'm not here to cause anyone any trouble. If you people hate me so much, I'll be more than happy to leave."

"You realize, of course, there is a concern that you might be a spy, or an advance scout, looking to find weaknesses in our defenses."

"Are you kidding?" I stared at her. "As soon as I get off this crazy island, I may spend the rest of my life telling people to stay _away_ from you man-haters. Just because Ares betrayed your Queen, she's been telling her people never to trust men, _any_ men. All I did was try to catch a few fish and I've been mistreated, questioned, locked up and had my life threatened. I've got news for you, women aren't exactly the paragons of virtue, either. Look, you seem like a nice woman. I can only say that because you're the first woman I've met so far that hasn't hit me yet. But maybe you should ask yourself who's making the decisions about what men are...you, or your Queen."

"So you're saying I should automatically trust you."

"Nope. I'm saying you shouldn't automatically _dis_ trust me. Think about that the next time you meet a male. Now, anything else you'd like to know before I leave?"

"Leave?" She smiled slightly. WOW, she had a nice smile "And how do you think you'd achieve that end?"

"Well, normally, I'd just whistle for my valiant steed, she'd show up and we'd leave. Want to meet her?" Diana looked at me for a long time, trying to see if I was crazy or not. "Look, I'll make you a deal. If I can escape, you agree to let me go without incident. I stay away from your island and never return and you never have to see me again. If I can't escape from here, I'll stay without giving you any trouble, accept whatever treatment you give me and I won't utter a single complaint. What do you say?"

She put her hands on her hips. "On one condition. You answer one question for me, and it has to be the truth."

Whoa...a high-stakes woman. Can't help but respect that. "You got a deal."

"What are you hoping to accomplish?"

"...cheese and crackers, woman, you don't go for the easy ones, do you?" I sighed. I didn't want to admit this to anyone, not openly, but I didn't have a choice. "In a word...redemption."

"For what?"

"Ah-ah-ah. That's _two_ questions."

Diana chuckled slightly, as if her expression of humor had been trying to escape. Guy could fall in love with that laugh. "Very well. Summon your steed...and try to leave."

"With you standing right in front of me?"

"You never said I had to make it easier for you."

Oh, the snark. "Fine. Have it your way." I raised my fingers to my lips and whistled, a single, loud note for about two seconds. Diana winced as it echoed off the confines of the cell, then looked around. "How long must I wait to see something?"

"Well, you'll probably be able to see my steed from the door," I offered, counting the seconds. Diana went to the door and looked out through the small hole at eye level. As she got to the door, I remembered something.

I'd left the parking brake on.

Diana turned as she heard the noise, a slight grinding sound as the TARDIS materialized around me. Normally, would've been almost completely silent, but she was alert now. She ran towards me to grab me and pull me away, but she wasn't fast enough.

Next thing I knew, we were in the TARDIS control room, and she was hugging me. "You know, Diana, if you'd asked me about doing something like this, I probably would've said, 'yes'."

She pulled back slightly, looking around, then realized what she was doing and pushed me backwards, giving the control room a more thorough inspection. "Where are we?"

"Inside my ship." I picked myself off the floor. "It's called the TARDIS."

"Release me at once, or I shall force you to…"

I groaned inwardly. "Door's right over there and it's unlocked."

She looked at me sideways, moving to the door and opening it, seeing the inside of the cell. She turned back to look around, then walked outside. I started to set the TARDIS to head for America when she came back in. _Wait for it…_

"It's...bigger on the inside."

"Yeah, I know, I've been meaning to do something about that…"

Diana walked closer to me, looking around at her surroundings. The TARDIS interior was made to resemble Old West architecture while still maintaining the full functionality of the normal controls. "'TARDIS'? Why would you call your ship 'slow'?"

"What? Oh, right, Latin. No, 'TARDIS' is an acronym." I smiled, walking to the control console. "All right, I've won the wager, mind stepping outside so I can leave?"

"Wait...you may have this...whatever this is, but you have yet to escape." She smiled and took my arm. "All I need to do, Gambler, is walk through those doors…"

The doors slammed shut. Mother always did have a dramatic streak. "Trust me, like so many situations in this universe, getting out is always tougher than getting in."

"I do not wish to have to use force on those doors, or on you, for that matter."

I sighed and shook my head. By the time I'd stopped moving my head from side to side, Diana was still, a silvery-red glow surrounding her body. "I really wish you hadn't said that," I noted, pulling my arm from her grasp. "Mother doesn't respond well to threats to my person. Don't panic. You're surrounded by a stasis field. I know it probably stings a little, but you're perfectly safe. It does mean that our conversation is over, however. I really regret that; you don't seem to be as intolerant or as bullheaded as the others here. I really hope that the next time you meet a male, you'll afford them the same kind of compassion you've exhibited towards me. Mother? Doors?" I lifted Diana carefully as the doors opened, and carried her outside the TARDIS, setting her down in the cell. "There. Now, as soon as I leave, the stasis field will drop and you'll be fine. I don't know if we'll ever meet again, but I look forward to it. Oh, if they give you any trouble, just tell them I used….magic or sorcery or something like that. Take care of yourself, Diana."

I went back inside and set the controls to find someplace else to be. As I threw the switch, I dearly hoped the next person I met wouldn't be quite so...hostile.

* * *

I landed and looked around. Definitely a contrast. I was in the middle of a large city, skyscrapers all around. The sun was out, making the city seem just as idyllic as the island I just left. So far, things were looking up. I checked the local time. Hmm, ten in the morning.

I do believe I scheduled a nice little walk about that time.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Perhaps my clothing was a bit dated; I wore the same jeans, boots, duster, hat and shirt considered fashionable a hundred years or so ago, but I like my clothing style. Besides, it's from the time and place where I was reborn as the Gambler. Let's see, what else, my guns, my psychic paper identification, a couple of snacks to eat along the way and my sonic tool. I should probably pick up some of the local currency while I'm at it.

Thus attired, I opened the doors and went outside.

* * *

I looked around as I closed the door behind me and locked it. A park. The TARDIS was currently disguised as a small storage shed, so things were certainly working out better here, and I chose to head north to see what I could see.

Well, I didn't get as many funny looks as I expected, which was nice. I stopped at a bank's automated money dispensary and used the sonic tool to withdrew three hundred pounds, no wait, not pounds, euros, nuyen, lire...DOLLARS, that's it. Should be enough for a few good meals. Next stop, newspaper. Local news are always useful for getting one's bearings.

I picked up a newspaper and looked it over. As soon as I did so, I knew something was off. The main stories were about beings exhibiting superhuman abilities. Apparently I was in a place called, "National City", which is kind of an odd name for a city that isn't big enough to cross the borders of more than one state. What's more, superhumans were things that were commonly accepted.

Superheroes and supervillains? Earth didn't have these...not the Earth I knew, in any case!

I found a park bench and continued to read, my head spinning a little, trying to find out if I was on a different Earth. I would've known if the TARDIS had jumped the reality barriers. They'd been reinforced for millennia, and the ride would've been extremely bumpy, to say the least…

"Hey, cowboy."

I looked up to see a woman who was a bit pale, with white hair, wearing black leather. She looked down at me with a slight smile on her face. "Yes?"

"You done with the sports section?" I got the feeling from her smile that this woman was having a joke at _someone's_ expense.

"Help yourself."

She picked up that section of the newspaper and sat down next to me, holding the paper up to obscure her face from the people around her. "So, seeing as how you haven't run away yelling, you don't know who I am, right?"

"Should I?"

"Yeah, you're from out-of-town, all right. Lemme guess. Texas."

"Montana, since you ask." I didn't turn to look at her. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm the Gambler."

"Name's Livewire." She looked at me. "You're weird."

"That's a rather personal remark, considering we've just met."

"You don't get it. When I look around, I get a sense of people. Something about their bio-electric signature. You could say electricity is something I know a lot about. Anyways, I'm looking around for someone in particular. Someone who double-crossed me."

"Let me guess. You're looking for him and checking out these signatures in case the person you're looking for is in disguise?"

"Not bad, Gambler. You're smart for a bronco-buster. But you see, I got this problem. The cops don't like me much. Neither does the local hero, Supergirl. So I have to keep a low profile."

"And since you're out here, it means you're exposed?"

"Yeah. And since I can't find the little slime, now I gotta head back to my flop. But I don't want to get arrested, see. I can head back using power lines and such, but that's loud."

"...I fail to see what the problem is."

"Right now, I would KILL for a Big Belly Burger with all the trimmings, but I don't want to call attention to myself. I'm too exposed as it is."

"So, you want me to go get you some food?"

"I really don't want to have to threaten you. Makes people nervous, they forget details like extra ketchup, stuff like that…" Her voice trails off as I stand up. "Don't even TRY to run, pal, or you won't make it…"

"Which way's the nearest Big Belly Burger?"

She stopped in mid-death threat. "You'll do it?"

"Sure. Never been to one, and seeing as how you're willing to risk your freedom to get some food from that place, I must admit I'm powerful curious. Not to mention I'm a little hungry myself. So, what do you want?"

"...number five Big Belly combo, large fries, onion rings, large Mountain Dew, and if they got them, a couple of their chocolate pie slices." She was looking at me with a slight bewildered expression. "Uh, you got all that?"

"Sure. Listen, if you want to go someplace less conspicuous while I'm gone, I'll understand. Where do you want me to meet you?"

"You're serious? How do I know you won't invite the cops over for lunch?"

"Keep your voice down, for Pete's sake. Look, I just got here, I've got no quarrel with anyone here. And truth be told, I just left someplace filled with people that didn't exactly set out the good china for me, so I'm not very picky right now about who I break bread with."

Livewire sat there for a few moments, almost letting the newspaper slip down. "You are really friggin' strange, you know that, right?"

"I get that a lot. Where?"

* * *

I walked into the abandoned dance club, nothing the place was unlocked from the inside. Livewire clearly had skills with breaking and entering. "Big Belly Burger Delivery!" I called out, locking the door behind me and walking inside.

Livewire came out of a dark area, stopping as she saw me. "There's, like, five bags."

"After I ordered for you, I couldn't decide on what I liked, so I picked up everything I liked." I set the bags down on a table in a dusty booth and sat down. "Bon appetit."

If Livewire still had any suspicions about me, her hunger made her forget them entirely and she dove in, unwrapping her burger and biting into it. The sound of pleasure she made was almost orgasmic in its intensity. "GOD...I haven't had one of these in _weeks…_ "

"Haven't been eating much?"

She practically stuffed the burger into her mouth, then wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "I can survive on electricity, but there's just something about real food…" She started in on the onion rings, dipping them in ketchup. I had already started on a chicken sandwich. This place was pretty good. As I took some fries, I caught her looking at me. "What, do I have something on my face?"

"I don't get it. Why would you do that?"

"Have fries without ketchup?"

"NO, you bonehead. Stick your neck out for me. What do you want from me?"

"I just wanted to have a nice meal with some company. That's all."

"I'm a criminal, you know. Wanted, people trying to lock me up, stuff like that?"

"Nobody's perfect."

"Huh. So what's your story, Gambler?"

"Been traveling for a while, ended up here in National City for the first time. And things here...it's like the same but they're different."

"How so?"

"Where I come from, they don't have superhumans."

"Must be pretty boring…" Livewire stopped. "Tell me I didn't just see guns under that coat of yours."

"Relax. I carry those everywhere I go, I didn't get them just for you. Now eat. Food's getting cold."

Livewire stared at me for a few moments while I finished off the fries and the chicken sandwich, starting in on one of the Big Bellies. "You're nuts, you know that?" She sighed. "And I guess I'm nuts, too, because I'm trusting you."

I raised my drink. "To a lovely meal with pleasant company." I froze as I heard a noise in the back. "Now, wait, I didn't tell anyone I was here…!"

"Unlax, Gambler. I invited her."

"Her?" I turned and looked to see a woman with silver hair, a lovely face covered with makeup that gave her a skeletal appearance and a form-fitting bodysuit with rags covering it.

"Well, well. Livewire. Who's the hostage?"

"Give it a rest, Banshee. He's just the delivery boy." Livewire turned to me with a sly grin. "You don't mind sharing all this food, do you?"

"Well...I do admit my eyes may have been bigger than my stomach…" I stood up as the new guest approached. "Hello, I'm the Gambler. And you are...?"

"Silver Banshee." She started giving me the same odd look Livewire had on earlier. "Why'd you stand up? I didn't need your chair."

Huh? "I stood up because a lady came to my table." I turned to Livewire, who was smothering a smile. "Men don't do that here?"

"My, my. A hostage with manners." Silver Banshee took a chair and I sat down again.

"He ain't a hostage, Banshee. Just enjoy your meal, Gambler did me a solid, so we're letting him go. We need to change hideouts, anyways, so we don't need to kill him or tie him up or anything."

Silver Banshee wasn't convinced, but she sat down and started eating. "He doesn't seem to mind eating with two known criminals."

"He's new in town." Livewire grinned. "He doesn't know anything about supers here, and he's got manners. Just savor the win."

"If he doesn't know anything about supers, why does he call himself 'the Gambler'? Sounds like a hero name to me."

"Yeah, why do you call yourself that?" Livewire asked as she claimed one of the chocolate pies.

I considered coming up with a lie, but I thought better of it. Besides, maybe it might help to talk about it. "...because I don't know what my real name is. I made myself forget it."

"Dude, HARSH…" Livewire was more interested now. "Why'd you do something like that?"

"Because the person I was happened to be a real monster. I was crazy, insane with power. I hurt people. Caused all kinds of death and destruction."

"Sound to me," Silver Banshee mused, "that you were a supervillain after all."

"Maybe. One day, during a rare moment of sanity, I tried to destroy myself. I succeeded...sort of...and I came out the person you see right now. Didn't expect to survive, actually."

"How many people you kill?" Livewire asked.

"...I stopped counting after a while."

"Wow...so you just lobotomized yourself?"

"Sort of. There's all kinds of bad out there. The kind of bad I was, I just couldn't live with it." I looked up. Silver Banshee actually looked sympathetic...I think. That was a lot of makeup, after all. "So I've been alone for a long time, traveling. This is actually the first time in...stars, has it really been a few years when I didn't eat by myself?"

It was silent again for a while. When the silence was broken, it was Silver Banshee. "You have any family?"

"Not anymore. Lost them in the War. Lost them all, everyone I knew." I looked at Silver Banshee. "You?"

"An aunt."

"When was the last time you spoke to her?"

"It's been a few months. Happens when you're wanted by the police…"

"CALL HER. Call her RIGHT NOW. Call her, tell her you're alright and that you love her." I didn't realize I was tearing up until I heard the catch in my voice. "Don't waste another second. You never know how many you have left."

Silver Banshee looked at me levelly. "I can't call her. Police have her phone tapped. I call her, and the police will trace the call."

"Give me your phone." I took out the sonic tool and adjusted it as she took out her phone. "Show me which number is hers." She nodded and showed me the contact. I aimed the sonic at the phone and adjusted its parameters, then handed her back the phone. "There. From now on, when you call that number, the phone will be completely untraceable."

"You're kidding." Livewire stood up and looked at the phone, then at me. "How'd you do that?"

"Never mind. That's not important. What about you, Livewire?"

"I got my own means of being untraceable...and I got a mom in Queens. Haven't talked to her in years. She probably thinks, or hopes, I'm dead."

"Let her know you're alive."

"She's hated my guts for years. I ain't giving her the satisfaction."

"Don't do it for her, then. Do it for you."

Livewire gave me that stare again. "I'll think about it."

"Good." I got to my feet and wiped my mouth with a napkin. "I'm going to go. You've got things to do and I've taken up too much of your time as it is."

"Well, it wasn't _all_ bad." Livewire stuck out a hand. "Gambler, I think you're probably crazier than the both of us put together, and I ain't exactly Dr. Joyce Brothers...but it was nice having you over for dinner. So cheer the hell up, already."

"I'll do that." I smiled. I had to admit, I did feel a little better. "Thanks. Uh….where's the back door?"

"I'll show you." Silver Banshee stopped. "Wait...you know we're superhumans, right? I'm surprised you're not the slightest bit curious about what our powers are. Usually, it's the first thing people want to know."

I looked at her, cocking my head slightly. "I really don't see how any of that matters. Have a good day, you two." And with that, I went out the front door. I felt better, I wasn't hungry anymore and I knew more about where I was.

I'd still like to know how the blazes I GOT here, though.

Time to hit the library.

* * *

The National City Public Library was _huge_...and mostly empty. I didn't have any trouble heading to the Periodicals and seeing what I could find out, once I made sure to put my guns where they wouldn't be noticed. I was having a little trouble finding what I needed until one of the librarians noted my frustration and brought me to a computer terminal that had the information scanned there for reference.

While I did that, I discovered an invaluable tool for finding exactly what I needed. I was surprised, though. What a funny name, "Google".

I spent hours looking up information about superhumans. And there was a lot of them, all with odd and fantastic names. Superman. Batman. Livewire and Silver Banshee. Toyman. Poison Ivy. Metallo. The Joker. And reports of different aliens here on Earth?

I had to take a break. My head was spinning. I checked my watch and realized that it was already eight at night. My, how time flies. The irony of that statement was not lost on me. However, I was no closer to figuring out how I got here, or how to get home. Without a dimensional vantage point, it could be hundreds of years before I came to a reality that I could use to find my way back from whence I'd come.

And I've got better things to do with my time.

I started picking up my books to put them back when I realized I wasn't alone in the Periodicals anymore. Five men and one woman were there, all watching where I was sitting. "You know," I said loudly, "it's impolite to stare."

The woman of the group walked towards me. What is it with this reality and women that I seem to get their attention? "May I ask you to come with me, please?"

I looked her over. Old enough to be someone's mother, maybe grandmother. Hair tied back in a bun, dark business dress and blazer. She was smiling, but that smile was about as genuine as a three-dollar bill. "Ask all you want. Not going to happen. Who are you and what do you want?"

"I'll explain everything once we're someplace more secure. It's important that we talk."

"Oh, I just bet it is. Wait...I know who you are. Lillian Luthor. I saw your face when you were with your son, Lex, and your daughter, Lena. What is it with your family and the letter 'L'?" I shook my head.

"So...you know who I am. That's unfortunate. I was hoping we'd be able to avoid any unpleasant actions, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist that you come with us."

"Normally, I'd be inclined to say yes when a lady insists...but you ain't no lady. I can smell a lie like a skunk at a tea party, and I can tell lying comes so easy to you, it's practically your native tongue. So, no, I will not be going anywhere with you."

"You aliens...you're all alike. My son recognized you for what you are, and just because one alien caused his downfall doesn't mean I'm about to let another alien race invade like the last one." All pretense of charm was gone, and she'd transformed from prim professional to professional harridan. Fast. "So you're going to come with me, right now."

"I fear that I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request."

"It's not a request when you have the power to make it compulsory." She smiled as the men around me stood up, drawing guns. GUNS, for goodness' sake. "Come with us, now."

"Well, that's just not being fair. You've all got guns and all I have is this." I drew out the sonic tool. "The odds are clearly uneven." The guns aimed at my head as I held up the device.

"And what is that? Some sort of weapon?"

"NO. You people and your weapons and your threats and your GUNS...it's really quite disappointing." I pressed the button and it made a noise, immediately making Lillian and her men tense up considerably, then relax as they saw nothing else was happening. "You see? This is all I have."

"Don't play games with me, whoever you are."

"I'm the Gambler, Luthor. And I have a confession to make. Remember when I said that this sonic tool was all I had?"

"Yes?"

I smiled and the lights went out in the whole building. We were in a room with no windows, so things got pretty dark in a hurry. Of course, I was the only one in the room who learned to live without electricity, so when I moved, they couldn't see where I'd gone.

"GAMBLER!" Lillian shrieked.

"What I _meant_ to say, Luthor, was that it was all I _needed_ ," I said as I shoved open the door to the stairs, knowing they'd hear it, and reached in my pocket for the necklace I kept there. I put it on, and just stayed out of the way when the lights came on. Lillian, as expected, made a run for the stairs.

I saw her and her men run right past me and leave by the stairs. I waited ten seconds, then went to the elevator. Clearly it was closing time.

* * *

By the time I got to the front doors, Luthor and her men were gone, and I think I just figured out why. Hovering in the air over the courtyard in front of the library were two people, a man and a woman, both wearing outfits of red and blue, with red capes and with an "S" on their chests. From the research, either I or Luthor had attracted the attention of Superman and Supergirl.

That's what I love so much about traveling in time and space. You get to meet the most interesting people.

I considered removing the perception filter, but they apparently brought backup. Another man and a woman, both apparently human, but the man didn't seem to be human. More aliens. How cosmopolitan. "Anything?" the alien who wasn't flying asked.

"The source of the sonic emissions definitely came from here," said the flying alien man. Great. I couldn't afford to show off in front of these two. Might as well put the necklace away and keep it for a rainy day.

As I walked out, as if nothing was happening, the human woman looked down at some sort of device in her hand. "I'm detecting some anomalous energy coming from…" She looked up and directly at me. Then they were all looking at me. "Excuse me…!" she called out.

Corralled. Hopefully I wasn't going to be taken against my will by these people. Three attempts in as many days is just plain tiresome. "Uh, howdy. Something I can help you with?"

"Can we talk?" Superman asked.

"Do I have a choice this time?" I countered.

"Of course...as long as your intentions aren't hostile."

"So far, ever since I came here, the only people who weren't hostile to me were two supervillains. You'll excuse me if I have my suspicions about people in authority." While I was talking, Supergirl was looking at me carefully. For a moment, I entertained the idea that she might've thought me appealing to look at, but she dashed that hope pretty quick.

"Kal...he's not human. He's got two hearts."

"That explains the alien energy patterns," said the other alien male.

"'He' is standing right here. And you should talk, pardner. The only human here is the woman standing next to you. Now, before this goes any further, I think introductions are in order. You two are Superman and Supergirl. I'm the Gambler. Now, who are you two?"

The male stepped forward. "Hank Henshaw, Director of the Department of Extranormal Operations. This is Agent Alex Danvers."

"Great. Now that I no longer have to say, 'hey, you' to get your attention, first off, I'm not going anywhere except someplace I choose to go. And I'm fine with right here."

"This location isn't safe," Henshaw said firmly.

"This _universe_ isn't safe. You're going to need a better argument."

"Then where would you feel most secure?" Superman asked.

I knew the answer...and I hated the answer. "I only know one place, but I'm not exactly eager to take you there...ah, hells' fire...come on. It's in the park."

"We can fly you there," Supergirl offered. "Probably faster."

"...fine. But the second I don't like the flight, I'm walking out."

* * *

"Down there." Flying with the Supers was somewhat convenient, and Supergirl carried Danvers while Superman carried me and Henshaw. I directed them down to the section of trees where the TARDIS was. "That storage shed."

"That shed? If you say so."

We landed and I unlocked the door, then turned to the others. "Well, you coming in, or not?"

"Isn't that going to be a little...cozy?" Henshaw said, looking at me skeptically.

"Suit yourself." I went inside. I decided to go make some coffee, wait for their curiosity to kick in…

"COOOOOL!" There we go. I turned and saw them come in, one by one, looking around at the interior of the TARDIS. Supergirl had looked in first, dashed outside, dashed back in, back outside and then in again. "It's bigger on the inside!"

Yup. That never gets old. "Close the door, you're letting in a draft. Now, if you'll follow me, we'll talk in the dining room. If you need to wash up before dinner, the bathroom is down that corridor, third hallway on the right, six doors down, just past the swimming pool."

"Swimming pool?" Alex asked, blinking.

"Right. Who wants coffee?"

.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

**Time Enough For Heroism, Part 2: Getting To Know The Locals**

 **By C. Mage**

.

.

I poured myself a cup last, then walked over to the dining table. "All right. I know you have a lot of questions, so let me get the obvious answers out of the way. No, the Gambler _is_ my name. No, my intentions are not hostile. My ship is called the TARDIS. No, I don't want to tell you what my race is, because I don't think you've ever heard of us and I'm the only one of my race in this universe. No, I don't know how I got here. I dress like this because that's how I dress. Yes, I probably need a shave. I'm not going to say which supervillains I talked to because I gave my word, and besides, they're no longer where they were when I met them. And finally, yes, there's more coffee if you want some."

"Hold it. You said you were the last of your kind?" Hank Henshaw asked curiously.

"Why?"

"As it turns out, you're not the only one who can say that. Superman and Supergirl are the last of their kind, and I am the last Green Martian."

"Well, at least the ones in the red-and-blue outfits can…"

"What? Ewww! No, he's my COUSIN," Supergirl said, clearly disturbed by the idea.

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know. Wow, now don't I feel like a greenhorn." I sat down and had some coffee, taking a long pull on the mug. "Does this universe has some tendency towards genocide?"

"No more than any other universe." Hank looked at me steadily. "So, what are your plans?"

"Plans? Now I know I'm in a different universe. I don't have any plans. I came here to find out where I was, get my bearings, and stay out of trouble."

"With those people after you, that ship has sailed." Hank looked steadily at me.

"Oh, I think I'll be okay." They were giving me that look again. "What?"

"Until these people are identified and contained, I think you should stay with the DEO. Your TARDIS, too. It's too exposed, and someone could steal it, or break into it."

I stared at them. "The TARDIS can do a fine job of protecting itself, but it's your planet, your universe, and I don't want to be any trouble. Just tell me where to go and we'll head there now."

"I'll get a recovery team to move your ship." Hank stood up while I stared at him.

"Why? Just tell me where to land. Here." I pulled up a map in three dimensions of the surrounding area. "Just point it out."

They walked to the map, and learned quickly how to move it using their hands. Supergirl pinpointed the area first, zooming in on the outside and discovering she could move to the inside of the structure as well. Hank looked at me, as if expecting me to start an invasion with a word, then nodded as he pointed to an empty room. "Don't make me regret doing this, Gambler."

I smiled as I went to the console. "Time me." I fed in the location, threw the switch and waited, then landed without so much as a bump. "Here we are."

Supergirl looked at me questioningly, then went to the door and opened. "Guys….we're here," she said, a little bewildered. "I didn't even feel us move!"

"Okay, we're here. Shall we?" I gestured to the door. "After you."

* * *

From that point on, it was the usual drill. Checked me out to see if I had any plagues, biological weapons, hidden weapons, the usual. Took them eight hours and twelve minutes to confirm that, yes, I wasn't going to erase the planet just being here. While I lay back on a gurney, waiting for them to give me a clean bill of health, the two Supers were giving my TARDIS a resilience check to make sure they couldn't force their way in, which meant no one else could, either.

So far, the TARDIS hadn't suffered so much as a blemish on the finish.

The sonic tool required a little more convincing. "It's NOT a weapon!" I said for the fifty-eighth time. "It's just a tool. It may have a million uses, but none of them able to cause damage to anyone. That coffeemaker over there is more capable of hurting someone!"

"Nevertheless, we need to make sure. We've had experiences in the past where alien technology was misused, Gambler."

I couldn't fault their logic, but it was still annoying. Trust isn't earned easily around here...and being associated with two known criminals likely did not help matters.

In the words of Bat Masterson, I was hip-deep in sheep dip.

* * *

The most annoying part? I was kept in a very comfortable cell. Comfortable, but CELL. And I'd relinquished my sonic, so getting out was not an appealing prospect. While I was waiting, I looked across the hall to see that someone else was moving in. Tall, statuesque redhead, carried herself like a queen, even while under guard, and she must've been a rough customer. Superman himself was bringing her in. She wasn't exactly cooperative, or silent.

"YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME! DO YOU REALIZE WHO I AM? I AM QUEEN MAXIMA OF ALMERAC!"

The doors sealed shut behind her, leaving her visible through the glass, but a yellow light came on and the woman looked around angrily, beating on the doors.

"Sorry, Maxima, but you need a time-out. And with the dampers on, all you'll get out of beating on the doors will be sore hands."

Superman and the others left, Maxima yelling after them, "YOU'LL COME BACK, SUPERMAN...YOU KNOW THAT OUR MARRIAGE IS DESTINED!" She watched them until they were out of sight, then looked around, seeing me looking at her. "And what do you think you're looking at?" she snarled.

"The worst known domestic dispute in known history. And don't worry, I'm not going to get involved."

"And who are you?"

"Me? I'm the Gambler."

"So, why have they detained you? What crimes are you accused of?"

"Believe it or not, I came here willingly. But, since I'm an alien, I have to go through this quarantine period. Not a real concern, I ain't in a rush."

"What kind of alien are you?"

"You wouldn't have heard of me." I smiled and sat back on my bunk. "Well, I'm going to lie back and get a little rest. If you're going to keep yelling, could it wait until after my nap?"

"You presume to make demands on me?! I AM…"

"YES, yes, yes, I know who you are. How could I not, you practically shrieked your credentials all over the halls. I'm not going to be here for long, anyways, and I need to figure out my next move."

"Do not speak to me in that tone, peasant! I am a QUEEN, deserving of respect!"

"Fine. I'll shut up." I tipped my hat over my eyes as I leaned back, blocking out the light.

If only I could block out the sound. "Answer me when I speak to you!" Oh, wonderful, she's one of THOSE types.

I tipped my hat back. "I am TRYING to get some rest."

"You WILL answer my questions, or…!"

"Or what? You'll sic the dogs on me? Call for the guards? Write some royal edict banishing me?" I sighed and walked to the door. "I'm giving you a choice. If you're bored or just need to talk to me like a real person, by all means, do so. But if all you're going to do is threaten and annoy me, I'll ask to be held in a different cell, much further away, leaving you alone. You can yell at yourself, if you want."

Oooooh, if looks could maim, I'd need to be carried in a basket. She crossed her arms in front of her rather impressive chest, sat down hard on the bed as if she was punishing it for some crime, and gave me a "hmph!" sound. I waited for a while, then she finally spoke. "What is the name of your home planet?"

"...Gallifrey."

"I have not heard of it."

"Not surprised...it's been gone a long time."

"What happened to your world?"

I sat back in my chair. "There was a war. The last, great war of my people, against an enemy known as the Daleks."

"Who won?"

"...nobody did. The whole planet burned and everyone lost. The end."

"You survived, I see."

"Yeah….and I wish I hadn't. I'm sure that Superman and Supergirl think there's a certain nobility in surviving what happened to Krypton...but I'm not seeing it. What makes it worse is that my people live for a long time."

"Oh? How old are you?"

"I'm 1,898 years old."

She turned to look at me. "You are lying."

"Telling the truth. Cross my hearts...both of them."

"I still say you are lying."

"Well, that's what makes this conversation so refreshing. I don't have to prove myself to you." I smiled at her, which she found either infuriating or funny, I don't think she could decide, from her expression. "So, anything else you want to talk about? Better talk fast, my time, ironically, is limited."

"Can you have me released from here?"

"Can you give me a really fantastic reason why I _should_?"

"I can make you a king, give you dominion over this world."

"Mmmmmm, no. Way too much responsibility."

"I can give you riches that would enable you to buy a planet of your own!"

"I got everything I need already."

"Is it companions you want, then? I can give you any woman you want, make her your slave."

"If she gotta be forced to be in my company, I don't want hers."

"...very well. I will deign to offer myself as compensation. A night with me."

"Lady, you have done NOTHING to deserve me." I heard footsteps and saw Henshaw and Danvers walk into view. "Well, it's about time. So, come here to let me out?"

"Yes...but your ship is going to have to stay here. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you access to it until we can be sure that you won't be motivated to misuse it," Henshaw said apologetically.

I sighed. I expected this, but I wasn't happy about that. Not that I couldn't get access to it, but that they couldn't trust me. Humans, all the same. "Fine, can I at least get my stuff back?"

"You will, but rest assured, you will be under surveillance. Protocol for new aliens on-planet." Agent Danvers unlocked the field sealing off the cell and I walked out.

"Figured as much. Well, you haven't solved my main problem. I live in my TARDIS. If I'm not allowed access to it, where am I going to bunk for the night? How will I earn my pay? Doing lasso tricks?"

"While you're here on Earth, we'll put you up at the DEO."

"Pass."

"I'm afraid there's not much of a choice. I'm afraid you're just too dangerous. And let's not forget those people that were after you."

"I can handle them. I've handled Daleks, Slitheen, Autons, Nestene, and Cybermen...and that was just in the one month before I got here." I smiled. "Besides, you don't know who they are...but I can draw them out for you."

"You're willing to offer yourself as bait?" Danvers asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time." I noticed Maxima was looking at me in a way I couldn't figger out and I found that unsettlin'. "Uh, maybe we should move this conversation somewhere else?"

"Right." Henshaw gestured down the hall. "After you."

* * *

"Well, Gambler, we've determined that you have access to advanced technology and know how to use it. Can you rebuild it in any way, or repair it?"

I sighed. "...no. I can't."

"Why not?"

Stars, but this was embarrassing. "I...lost that knowledge. And I don't want to talk about it. Nobody wants to talk about the day they lost their minds."

Henshaw looked at me, and I got the feelin' he knew I wasn't telling the whole truth about what happened to me."I hope I can trust you, Gambler."

 _Me, too.._ I thought. "So, what now? Because, I gotta tell you, I'm powerful hungry. This place got a chuckwagon somewhere, or a kitchen? Someplace that serves steak and eggs?"

"Alex, can you take the Gambler down to the commissary? I've got to get back to preparing for the President's visit."

"Got it. Gamber, if you'll follow me?"

"The President's coming? You have to let me get into the TARDIS now, I need to be wearin' my Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes."

"Sorry, Gambler, but you're not coming. No last-minute additions to the guest list."

"Fine, but I can be altogether charming at times, you know."

"Really? Let me know when you start doing that." She was smirking when she said it, though.

"Now that's just rude," I replied, a smile on my own face. "Just for that, the steak better be extra-thick…"

* * *

Well, I gotta give them credit, they sure know how to make a good steak. Eggs were good, too. However, as soon as we got back to the main control room, it looked like there was a serious situation going on. People were rushing about and there were several displays on the screen. "What's going on?"

"Not now, Gambler," Henshaw said. He turned to look at a screen from a traffic camera showing Superman and Supergirl fighting someone who was attacking them with some sort of green energy. I didn't know what that energy was, but it was giving both of them a hard time.

I turned to Alex, but she had already left my side. Looks like I was on my own. I watched the screens, starting to worry. That metal man was _killing_ them.

I held up my sonic tool and used it to get the location of the fight, then moved quickly to a side room. Maybe I should've mention that my sonic tool had another function to it.

A short-range _teleporter._

* * *

I appeared on a side-street within view of the fight. I thought about figuring out the best way to handle this when I saw that metal guy focusing that green beam on Supergirl, and she slipped to the ground. A fuse blew in my brain and I aimed the sonic tool at the cyborg. "Nobody beats on a lady in front of me," I muttered, and pressed the button.

The metal man felt the effects instantly. He seemed dependent upon that glowing green rock in his chest, so I hit him with a sympathetic resonance signal that caused his chest to implode, vaporizing the rock and containing the resulting explosion inside his torso. I didn't stick around to watch him fall, simply teleporting back to the room and putting my sonic tool away.

After that, I nonchalantly walked back into the control room, where Superman was reporting. "Something happened to him, looks like some sort of implosion."

"Could it have been a self-destruct device?"

"I doubt it…." Supergirl looked wiped, but she was alive. "As much as I hate to admit it, Corben was winning. Then I heard something, a high-pitched noise...then his chest imploded."

Henshaw turned, saw me standing there, and I waved slightly at him. "Come on in, and bring….Metallo with you." Henshaw walked over to me. "Anything you want to say about this?"

"Uh….good work, nice job?"

"Do you know anything about what happened?"

"All I know is that you people were running around, I went to the restroom, and I just came out of it and came right here. I can run pretty fast, Director Henshaw, but I'm not THAT fast." I shrugged.

"Hmm. Anything else you want to say?"

"Well, yes. I've been cooped up in here all day. I'd like to go outside, have a look around, go to a park. Anything I need to do, get an escort, notify a security team…?" _Sacrifice my firstborn?!_ I finished mentally.

"No. I have a better idea." I really did NOT like his smile. "I think you, Supergirl and Superman should have a little chat. Get acquainted. Discuss a few things. You see, Kryptonians are extremely good at telling when a person is lying. And I may have mentioned at one point that I don't trust you."

"Yeah, you've made that abundantly clear. So you're going to put me in another cell, have them come by and interrogate me? Fine. I'll be in my _cell_. Send them in at any time." I walked off to my room, considering, and not for the first time today, just getting to my TARDIS and leaving. Nahh, that would just be proving their point. Besides...running from things isn't my style.

* * *

It didn't take long to hear the knock on my door. "May we come in?" Superman asked.

"Only if you answer me a question….how do you two manage the 'good cop, bad cop' routine?"

"We just want to talk." Supergirl this time. DAMMIT.

"Sure, come on in." I saw the door open and they walked in. "So, Henshaw sent you in. Kinda figured he'd send in the big guns. So, heat vision first, or going to start snapping the fingers and toes?"

"Gambler, we're not here for that. That's not what we do here at the DEO." Supergirl said firmly.

"Coulda fooled me. Henshaw doesn't like me much. A bit surprising, considering his position as an alien himself. He's allowed to keep his secrets." I saw Superman's expression change, and I knew I hit a nerve.

"He's worried that you'll use your abilities for the wrong reasons," Supergirl offered.

"The guy was killing you, Supergirl! What was I supposed to do, sit by and do nothing?" As soon as I blurted it out, I realized the jig was up. They both knew. I couldn't tell what Supergirl was feeling, but Superman looked sympathetic.

"I only have one question for you. Why did you do it?" Superman asked me.

I sighed. "A long time ago, a preacher I knew told me a joke. He said, 'A man went to sleep and had a dream, standing on a huge field, with a fence separating the field into two sections. God was on one side, and the devil was on the other. By and by, people would come by, some would go to God's side, some to the devil's, but some would just sit on the fence, choosing neither side. When it was all over, the number on God's side was slightly bigger than the ones on the devil's side, but when the man looked at the devil, the devil was smiling. The man walked over to the devil and said, "What are you smiling for? God got more people." "Yeah, the devil said, "but I also get everyone on the fence."' If you don't stop evil from being done, and you have the power to stop it, you might as well have cheered evil on. I'm not going to apologize for helping you two. And if Henshaw locks me up for it, you might as well walk me to my cell."

"Nobody's going to lock you up," Supergirl said, but the way she said it was kind of odd, as if she was making a promise, "but we want you to work with us. And that's going to mean having to listen to Henshaw. Can you do that?"

"If he can listen to me when I try to tell him something, yeah, MAYBE."

"Then if you can't trust him, trust us." Superman sat down in front of me. I turned to Supergirl and she nodded in agreement.

"Then turn off the cameras in here. I don't want him hearing or seeing what I'm going to do next."

Supergirl nodded, then looked up. "Winn, do it." She waited, then looked at me again. "It's done."

"Good...because I'll know in about twelve seconds if you're telling the truth." I put my fingers to my lips and whistled, and right on cue, the silver cylinder of my TARDIS materialized in the room right between Supergirl and Superman, who spun around. I stood up. "Everyone inside." The doors opened obediently. and I walked past them, going inside. As they followed me in, I flipped the switch to dematerialize. "All right, you two. This is where things get complicated. This ship, the TARDIS. Well, TARDIS is an acronym. It's short for, 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.' Model 2400."

"Time as in…"

"Yes. My TARDIS can take use anywhere there ever was or ever will be. It travels in both space and time. Well, anything not within your personal timelines, of course."

"Anywhere?" Supergirl looked around at the inside. then back at me. "And bring us back quickly?"

"It's a time machine, I could take you away for a year and bring you back two seconds from the time we left. Why? Ohhhhh….wait. Do you want to go back to Krypton, try to save everyone? Well, slight problem. Krypton's self-destruction is a fixed event in time and space. If we made any changes at all, it would blow a hole in space and time big enough to not only obliterate Krypton, but everything within a few parsecs. So no. As much as I would like to, no."

"Anything else you're eager to share?" Superman asked.

"Yeah….the name of my people. We were once known as Gallifreyans, but for a long time, we were known by another name….the Time Lords. We were the guardians of time, but my race grew tired, indolent...people that weren't interested in doing anything but being politicians, hiding away from the…" A beeping interrupted me and I turned to the console. "I don't believe it! Here I am, completely dematerialized in the timestream, and SOMEONE wants me to pull over!" I tapped the intercom. "Who is this?"

"My name is Rp Hunter of the Time Masters. This is an illegal use of temporal travel, and I am ordering you to surrender yourself immediately."

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that." I turned to my passengers. "This sort of thing seems to happen to me with you around, Supergirl." I couldn't help but smile. "Shields are up."

"I will not ask again. Land immediately and submit to inspection."

"Good. That means I won't have to keep telling you, 'no'."

"Gambler, maybe you should consider not starting any more fights with people you don't know?" Superman suggested. I hated to admit it, but he did have a point.

"Okay, Rip, pick a time and place. I'll set down, but I won't make any promises."

"I'm sending you coordinates."

"Okay….that's it? I feel like I'm twelve again. I'll meet you there."

* * *

I landed in a field and opened the door. Present day, in the Ozarks. Nothing but miles and miles of miles and miles. "Let's see...now, where is…" I stopped as I saw a ship the size of a corvette-class starship come into view and land in front of me. I chuckled. "Clearly, SOMEONE is trying to compensate for something. Stay close to the TARDIS." I leaned against it as the ramp for the ship lowered and one, two...whoa, this Rip guy had a whole entourage. "So, which one of you is Hunter?"

"That would be me," one of them said and...HOLY STARS!

"RORY? RORY WILLIAMS?" I stepped forward and hugged him, then stepped back. "What happened to your centurion gear? Now you look more like a cowboy, don't get me wrong, love the look...HEY, Superman, Supergirl, this guy's a big deal! First he was human, then he was dead, then he was plastic, then he was alive again…!"

"EXCUSE ME!"

I stopped and drew back. "What?" Some of the people that came with Rory were smirking.

"While I'm flattered that you seem to hold me in such high regard, I feel that it's only fair to inform you that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!"

I took another step back. "You're... _not_ Rory Williams?"

"Never have been."

I turned to Superman and Supergirl, who were also smirking. "Well….don't _I_ feel foolish."

"Which still leaves the matter of your illegal use of a time machine. I'm afraid you'll have to explain yourself, and submit to a search and impound of your time machine." Rory….er, RIP looked at me and his friends seemed rather colorful...and formidable.

"Well, I can't do that. I've had this for a long time and I'm not about to relinquish him. Besides, he might not like it."

"I shall be forced to arrest you in the name of the Time Masters."

"Really? Well, my people are Time Lords, so I think I outrank you." I smiled my most charming smile. "Now, look, I don't want to fight you and you sure as shootin' don't want to fight me. Now, I am a guardian of the Laws of Time, so if anything, we're in the same line of work. So lower the gun, and let's talk this out?"

"And the people with you? Are they willing to talk as well?" As Rip looked at them, I saw one of them, a woman in white leather, whispering to a rough-looking sort, and I could tell what she was whispering: "Don't worry, we can take 'em if they want a fight." Her companion nodded, smiling slightly.

Yeah, that'll happen.

"Look, why don't you all come inside, we'll sit down, talk over some coffee." I opened the TARDIS and walked inside. Superman and Supergirl followed, but when I looked back, I could see their smiles.

I chuckled as I heard one of them say, "How do they even FIT?"

"Come on," Rip said, following us in. As they each entered, Superman, Supergirl and I were treated to their reactions; wonder, disbelief and the wide eyes. "So….if you're planning to inspect my _entire_ TARDIS, I hope you have a lot of free time on your hands….like a few millennia. So, before we begin, introductions are in order. My friends are Superman and Supergirl, and I don't think you'll have any trouble seeing which is which. I'm the Gambler. I'm a Time Lord. I'm a decade or two short of being nineteen-hundred years old. You're inside the TARDIS. So...any questions?"

"Only one," Rip said, looking me in the eyes. "Are we going to have trouble with you, Gambler?"

I looked him back in the eyes and said, with complete honesty, "I can't say. But I'm not going to start causing paradoxes or traveling backward or forward in time just because it amuses me. I'm beholden to the Laws of Time, just like anyone else. In fact, I should be asking you the same thing. You've got a lot of people with you and they don't strike me as being ordinary, either. Should I be worried about _you_?"

Rip kept looking at me, then nodded. "Just remember, Gambler...don't make me come find you. Just a friendly warning."

"Likewise." I kept my voice friendly, too, but I didn't let that touch my eyes. I could see how the others were looking at me, some of them suspicious, others already making up their minds about who and what I was. The girl in white was giving me a particularly close once-over, and I don't think it was because I was good-looking. That was fine with me. As long as they were givin' me the chance to change their minds. "Well, I'm sure you've got places to go, people to see, time on your hands, so I'll say my goodbyes and we'll part friendly. Does that suit you?"

"That suits me just fine. We've got to go see a king about a queen." Rip smiled, but I could tell that was for show, and they filed out of the TARDIS one by one. A couple of them gave me some sympathetic looks as they left, and they headed back to their ship.

"WELL...that wasn't tense at all." Superman turned to me.

"Always when there's a stranger in town, everyone comes out to size the newcomer up." I turned to Superman and Supergirl. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"Are you angry?" Superman asked, and for a second, I let myself believe that he actually cared.

"Not angry. Just tired. Let's head back to town."

* * *

We arrived ten seconds after we left, so no one missed us, and we filed out into the main corridor. "One thing I have to say, Gambler...being around you isn't boring," Superman said with...was that admiration? "Excuse me, Kara, I need to have a little talk with Hank about that missing kryptonite."

"I'll catch up,"Supergirl said, then she turned to me, grinning. "That was SO cool! We actually traveled in TIME!"

"Yeah, well, the gloss comes off after a hundred times or so."

"Is this what you do all the time? Just moving through time, looking for trouble?"

"Usually it finds me. Just my luck." I smiled at her. "I _am_ the Gambler, after all. Listen, I know you've got this thing to do with Superman and Henshaw, so don't let me keep you."

"Gambler? Uhm….you saved my life out there, and I never got to thank you for that."

I smiled back at Supergirl. "And you'll never need to."

She looked like she was going to say something else, then blushed and hurried off. I chuckled to myself and went to go find Alex. I needed to get a bunk, one that didn't have a lock on the wrong side of the door.

* * *

Well, I have a room to myself, with a bed that's much more comfortable than I'm used to, and a new pet project. Specifically, Project Cadmus. I remembered the ancient myth about a guy sowing dragon's teeth to get an army of warriors, then throwing a rock amongst them to get them to kill each other. Wasn't sure which implication was worse, making warriors, or making them slaughter each other.

Fortunately, I was forming a plan.

Unfortunately...the plan involved me becoming bait, and I knew Henshaw would not approve. Which is why I didn't plan on telling him.

I left my room, sonic tool in my pocket, guns in my desk, and went to look up Supergirl. She's connected with a media corporation, in her secret identity, and the news might be a better resource. When I found her, she was dressed in normal clothes. "Kara, might I ask a favor?"

"What's the favor?"

"Mind if I come with you?

"Gambler, I'm going to work. No offense, but I can't babysit you and do my job for Cat Grant."

"Look, Kara, I'm trying to get information on Cadmus. And I don't want to hack DEO files. But a news company like yours can correlate more information the DEO might otherwise ignore."

"You want me to let you hack CATCO files?" She shook her head. "I can't let you do that….but I can have Winn do it, since he's already in the system."

I nodded. "How good is Winn?"

Kara smiled a little. "Trust me, Winn will come through."

"All right….but I did want to see where you worked when you're not wearing your cape."

"Some other time. Look, I have to go." I watched her run off. Not the outcome I wanted, but maybe this will work better. In the meantime...I'm going to get some sleep.

Tomorrow is another day...and if I'd known what was going to happen tomorrow...I would've stayed in bed the whole time. Why, you might ask?

Sorry. Spoilers.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Chapter 3

**Time Enough For Heroism, Part 3: Time For A Change**

 **By C. Mage**

.

.

I had the nightmare again.

I should know better than to try to sleep. Problem is, even a Time Lord can't go without rest forever. I sat down in the comfy chair in my room, closed my eyes, and I was there again.

Gallifrey. The Time War. And me right in the middle of it, on the front lines. I was valiant, bold, decisive, an unstoppable force. I was hungry for the bloodlust. I remember fighting and fighting, and it never stopped.

I was the Nightmare Child.

The other Time Lords weren't fighters. They were politicians, scientists, people who relied on their minds. I became one of the greatest weapons in the Dalek arsenal, and I would have wiped the world clean of them if it hadn't been for HIM. My greatest enemy.

THE DOCTOR.

It wasn't even being beaten by him that had made me so angry. It was that he bested me so EASILY. I underestimated him. I never realized he had the Moment, much less that he would even use it.

I was broken, escaping in my TARDIS like a beaten, scared animal and everything became nothing. The dream always ended the same way, looking up at the blank screen on the console, seeing my blood-streaked reflection.

The DEMON...with my face...

* * *

I woke up, a cold sweat all over my body. My hearts felt like a heavy metal drum solo in my chest. I don't think I screamed this time, thank the stars. That would've raised an awful lot of questions I really didn't want to answer.

I checked the clock. It had been nine days since the defeat of Metallo. Kara was off pursuing Cadmus in her reporter identity. Henshaw and the rest of the DEO were on alert, in anticipation of the President's arrival. Yes, you guessed it, I'm not invited to the press conference. Seems I'm not reliable enough to be considered a benefit and, with Cadmus out there, I'm also in danger and should fear for my very life.

I snorted. "Welcome to my morning commute," I said to no one in particular and got out of bed. I needed to get dressed and figure out what I was going to do next, because there was no way I was going to cool my heels at the DEO if I had the ability to help.

As I showered, a thought came to me, one I didn't particularly care for: what if they didn't actually NEED my help? Sure, I helped out Supergirl and Superman once, but Henshaw and the others at the DEO didn't trust me. Supergirl was one of the most formidable women I'd ever met. Her friends were able to do some pretty impressive things...and ever since I used the Chameleon Arch years ago, I managed to save my soul, but at the cost of my intelligence and knowledge. Maybe I'm not as big a help as I think I am.

I had to get to the TARDIS. It's been under guard in an attempt to prevent me from attracting any more attention by taking any more trips, but nobody's detected my short-range teleporter yet. I can get in there if the situation called for it.

I took out my sonic screwdriver and bollixed the cameras in my room, making it look like I went back to sleep, then looping the image. The situation called for it.

* * *

As soon as I got in, I saw the lights flicker on in response. "Hello, honey, I'm home."

The male response said, in a parody of marital bliss, "+And what time do you call this?+"

"Cute. I need some help."

"+THAT goes without saying, Gambler.+"

"Are you going to provide me with assistance, or are you going to ride me for a while first?"

"+Both. And not in that order. I am stuck here in the midst of primates, with the only exceptions being the Kryptonians and assorted alien races here. We should be trying to figure out how to get back to our own universe, not sitting around here entertaining the whims of beings that are just this side of multicellular.+"

"Ah yes, thanks for reminding me that my predecessor was the one that did the programming on you. We need to start getting rid of some of that outdated and useless code. For now, I need you to do something useful. I want you to locate all alien signatures on this planet, biological as well as technological. I don't mind if it takes a little while to run, but this needs to be run and I need to get identification and examination of all biological alien signatures. I've got a feeling that there's going to be some people here that aren't exactly here by choice. Kind of like us."

"+Very well. At least it gives me something to do.+"

"How many volumes of information do we have regarding conceptual space?"

"+None. And I made sure, I counted twice. The very nature of conceptual space is that the very act of examining it changes its nature. It's the only phenomenon in the universe that the more you know about it, the less it applies.+"

I sighed. There were times when the TARDIS could be extremely annoying, usually when it was being uncaring, but even more so when it was right about something. "Just run the scan. Contact me once the scan's complete, I'm heading back to my room."

"+Don't you mean your 'cell'?+"

"I can come and go as I please."

"+Sure you can.+"

I growled and stabbed at the recall function with my finger. Didn't take long to get back into bed and take the cameras off the loop. I made a show of getting up, hoping nobody was watching me too closely.

* * *

As it turned out, I needn't have worried.

I walked into the ops room to find out the President's press conference was being pre-empted...by an attack. The screens were filled with scenes of carnage, caused by a woman throwing fireballs around. Supergirl was already there, but the faces in the room were worried, to say the least. "What's going on, Henshaw?" I asked.

"I'm a little busy right now, Gambler," he said without looking at me. I thought about returning a biting remark about the obvious, but I was having enough trouble making friends at the moment without adding neutrinos to stabilize a positron array...or, as people around here would put it, adding gasoline to put out a fire. "If I require your assistance, Gambler, rest assured I will let you know!"

"I am at your service," I said simply and walked out of Operations. This was starting to develop into an ugly habit. Either I can't help or I seem to make matters worse when I do, and my attempts to learn more about this place seems to be encroaching on the time others have.

Maybe it was time to start looking around.

* * *

I stepped into a large room, a large walled octagon with a smaller octagon platform built into the center. The door closed behind me, the hubbub outside silenced. Huh. Soundproofed. Must be someplace where talking is important somehow...or this is where the loud parties are held.

As I stepped forward, a woman appeared in the center of the room. "Identify yourself."

Interesting. "I'm the Gambler. Who are you?"

"I can only tell you that I am not authorized to speak with you. Please leave."

"Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do. Look, if you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. Besides, I can't get to my TARDIS for some privacy…"

"TARDIS...you are attempting to access classified information. Access denied."

I slowly turned to look at her. How in the stars would she know enough about what a TARDIS is to restrict that information? "What do you know of what a TARDIS is?" I asked pointedly.

"You are not authorized to access that information."

Hmmm. "Do you have the ability to scan the biological signature of anyone in this chamber?"

"Yes."

"Scan me and tell me what you find."

The woman blinked, then looked directly at me. "You have been positively identified...as one of the Time Lords."

"NOW we're getting somewhere. What does Krypton know of the Time Lords?"

"...you do not possess the proper authorization for me to…"

I was getting tired of this. I aimed the sonic tool at the base of the platform, pressing down the button for a few seconds. There was a spark from the platform and the woman's image blurred and glitched. "AUTHORIZED," I responded.

The woman nodded. "The Time Lords are legendary beings of great power and intellect. No records exist confirming solid evidence of their existence. What information remains suggests that they were capable of traveling in both time and space, and were the guardians of realities. Eons ago, contact with the Time Lords ended, and no concrete explanations were given. The only causation given was a reference to a being known as 'the Scourge'."

I sighed. So the Time Lords came here, a long time ago, before they closed off the boundaries between realities. "Remove all records of everything that happened prior to my entering this room, and if asked, you will respond that I made an attempt to converse with you, but access was denied. Understand?"

"Understood."

I considered telling the woman to remove all information about the Time Lords, but I wasn't sure how it would react to it. Removing information about me was easier and less likely to cause a paradox.

I left the room. Great. I had answers. Now I wanted a drink.

* * *

I was on my way out when I heard that the President was on her way to DEO HQ and was all right. Meeting a President, hadn't done THAT yet. I managed to get back into my room, change into my good clothes, and rush out to see the doors open and the President walking in, flanked by Henshaw and Supergirl. "Welcome to the DEO, President Marsdin," Henshaw said gesturing to the interior and the Operations Room just ahead. "If you'll step this way, we'll show you to your quarters. You can be assured of your safety here."

"I certainly hope so...someone clearly is trying to undermine my efforts to provide amnesty for aliens. It's a tragedy that non-hostile aliens do anything that would make the news, but it could've been a great deal worse." She turned and smiled at Supergirl. "The country is grateful for your help, and Superman's help as well. You demonstrate the reality that not all aliens have ulterior motives or sinister purposes. Aliens have a great deal more in common than some might assume."

As she walked past me, I nodded...and that's when the smell hit. I'm glad my face was directed towards the floor when it happened, then I steeled myself and held out my hand. "Hello, Madame President. Please, call me the Gambler."

She took my hand. "I take it you don't work for the DEO, unless you're a transfer from the Wild West district?" she added with a polite chuckle.

I forced a smile to my face. "No, I'm one of those aliens you're trying to help. Just a traveler, really."

"Oh? What planet are you from?"

"That's kind of a long story, and I'm sure you've got other matters to take care of." I let go of her hand after a suitable length of time. Curiouser and curiouser.

Henshaw shot me a short look before guiding the President away. Supergirl and Alex faced me and both wore disapproving looks. Before either of them could ask me anything, an alarm starts going off. Alex and Supergirl turned to each other. "The infirmary!" Alex said quickly, and both of them hurried off.

Crisis narrowly averted, but I got the feeling that there was going to be a conversation about this later. I figured now might be a GREAT time to not be here. I tapped a button on my sonic tool. "Please tell me you've made progress."

"+I've identified an establishment that is frequently visited by non-terrestrial lifeforms.+"

"What is it? A museum, sports center, diner?"

"+A bar.+"

"...provide me with the address RIGHT NOW."

* * *

I found the place, but it was an underground establishment without even a name, which means it took me an hour to find out which door was most likely the right one. It was a very sturdy door with one of those eyeslit things, reminding me of my last encounter with a speakeasy. Of course, if things went true to form, it usually meant the place also required a password. Great. The first rule about being a bar patron: don't try to break into the place.

As I was trying to figure out how to get in, I heard a very familiar voice. "What are YOU doing here?" I turned around to see Alex with another woman. "I thought you were staying indoors because of your recent 'admirers'."

"Who's this guy?" the other woman said, and her eye was looking me over, but not in the "you're kinda cute" way. More like the "you're kinda trouble" way.

Alex sighed. "Maggie Sawyer, meet the Gambler. Gambler, this is DETECTIVE Sawyer."

I held out a hand, which Maggie shook. "Charmed," I said with a smile.

"Yeah, we'll see." Maggie smiled back. "You trying to get in? You should know that this place has kind of a...restricted clientele."

"Don't worry, Maggie, he fits the bill. Although the only non-human ability he seems to have is annoying the people around him by bending or breaking rules."

Maggie looked me over. "He the kind of alien that hurts people?"

"Not that I've noticed," Alex answered reluctantly.

Maggie smiled. "Good enough for me. Just behave yourself, Gambler." She went to the door and knocked. When the eyeslit opened, Maggie said, "Dollywood." The eyeslit slid shut, then the door opened. "Come on in, Gambler. You look like you can use a drink."

"Detective, you have NO idea." I walked in with them. "So, what brings you two here?"

"Trying to get some leads on who attacked the President." Alex gave me a look. "Think you can get a drink and stay out of trouble?"

"You wound me. Deeply." I walked over to the bar. The bartender, an attractive woman who smelled a lot like Henshaw came over. "Miss, I need you to do me a favor. I want you to make the most powerful drink you can give to a carbon-based lifeform."

"Payment up front, and no tabs for first-timers," she said matter-of-factly.

I slapped a twenty on the bartop. "Just pour until this runs out. I've had a really discouragin' month."

"You got it."

As she walked away to make the drink, I saw Alex and Maggie talking to one of the aliens there, and they weren't being nice about it. I heard a tap on the bar and found a golden drink in a tall glass that was fizzing slightly. "What's this?"

"Massive brain damage in a glass. Eight dollars."

I took a sip. OHHHHHHHHHyesssss...this is EXACTLY what I needed right now. I took another gulp as Alex and Maggie gave the alien the "bad cop, worse cop" routine. It's always fascinating to see social evolution in action. By the time I finished my drink, they were finished with the alien, and Alex was walking over to me. "Come on, Gambler, we're leaving."

"What? Why? I just got here."

"Three reasons. One, you're trouble enough sober, I don't want to see what kind of trouble you can cause drunk. Second, we've got a lead to follow, which means I'm not going to leave you here by yourself. I'm not even going to try to explain how you got left alone in a bar and called the DEO twenty-four hours later in another city, in an alley, wearing only that hat and holding a Ken doll in your other hand."

Maggie snickered. I frowned. "And Reason Three, perchance?"

"Some of the people in here play rough, and I don't want to have to pull your butt out of a bar fight before one of these bruisers kills you. Because believe me, Supergirl isn't the only alien on this planet capable of superhuman physical abilities. So come on, Gambler." Alex pulled me off my stool.

I turned to the bartender. "Looks like I'm being cut off, miss. Keep the change."

"I'll float you a tab for next time," she said with a small smile. "'Gambler', right?"

"Got it in one," I replied, walking with a slight unsteadiness that I didn't feel. If they want to think I'm a lightweight, might as well let them underestimate me. "I can walk, Alex...I'm not as think as you drunk I am…" I grinned.

"Funny," Alex said wearily, and walked me out to the car.

* * *

It was late when we returned, and Alex "escorted" me back to my room. "Please tell me you're not going to ask me to help you take your boots off, are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous." I demonstrated that I was still fully capable of removing my boots. "See you in the morning?"

She shook her head. "Good night, Gambler. Hope you're not the type to have weird hangovers." Alex left and switched off the light. As I lay there, it was becoming apparent to me that these people didn't trust easily, and I could understand why, based on what was happening. Still stung, however.

The worst part was, the more I learned about Supergirl, the more I found myself becoming attracted to her. Kara was...well, she was Kara. Always trying to hope, to see the best in people, even though she didn't seem to feel that way about me that much. My choice not to take her back to Krypton probably didn't sit well with her, but she struck me as being too impulsive. The risk was too great, but...the look on her face when I said "no" was heartbreaking.

As far as the rest of the DEO was concerned, I was a mystery to them, despite telling them so much about me. I was a loose cannon, an unknown quantity….a gamble, so to speak.

I sighed and closed my eyes. Maybe things would be better in the morning.

Things were NOT better.

* * *

I walked out of my room at the DEO to find out we had a new visitor, an alien who seemed to irritate people more than me if you can imagine that. I walked towards the medlab to see Supergirl storming out of it, nearly pushing me into a wall as she passed. I turned to see a man on a bed, looking contrite. I saw Alex coming and asked, "Hey, Agent Danvers…"

"Not. Now." she said tersely and strode past me, chasing after Supergirl. I was starting to see a trend, here. I saw Henshaw, but when our eyes met, I saw nothing but flint. Geez, was everybody angry at me for something, or just angry and unwilling to talk to me?

Fine. If nobody wanted to talk, then I'll just have to get my information another way.

I walked to the room where my TARDIS was stored, seeing that the storage area had a new feature: armed guards. "Well, this is discouragin'..." Fortunately, right when I thought I was going to be put in a conversational oath of silence, I saw James Olsen coming my way. "Olsen, got a few minutes to talk?"

"About what?"

"About why in the world everyone's so angry. I've been given more courtesy in a battle with DALEKS than I've gotten from people around here." He gave me a look. "I'll explain about Daleks later, just tell me what's going on."

"All I know, Gambler, is that the guy in the infirmary is from a planet from the same system Krypton was, and Kara doesn't like him very much. She hasn't been talking to me much, either. Not like she used to." I sensed there was a story behind that, and I got the distinct impression I wasn't the only one here attracted to Kara.

"Trust me, I've been getting the cold shoulder almost ever since I got here. I understand where you're coming from. Maybe if you could tell me more about what Supergirl's been dealing with, maybe we can both reason something out. It's not like I've got anything else to do."

"On one condition. I tell you about Supergirl, but YOU have to tell me more about YOU. Maybe people here would be more accepting if you're less of a mystery to them."

I considered. "You may not like what you hear. If anything, you might find yourself less likely to want to help me."

"How bad could it be?"

I shook my head. "Let's go somewhere we're not going to be heard."

* * *

We had a nice, LONG talk.

James told me about how Kara got here, who her cousin was. I told him about the Time Lords, the guardians of time and space. He told me about her earlier exploits and her training. I told him about the TARDIS. He told me about the fight with Astra, Non and Indigo.

I told him about the Scourge. James stopped talking for a few moments. "You were...someone else? A Time Lord….supervillain?"

I sighed. "You make it sound really bad...which, unfortunately, makes it completely accurate."

"But you're not him anymore? How?"

"There's a procedure that can take the essence of a Time Lord and store it someplace. It makes the Time Lord functionally human, with no memory of what he was before, protecting him from even telepathic hunters. Don't need to hide who you are if you don't KNOW who you are. But something went wrong. I took the Scourge and locked him away...but I'm still a Time Lord. Sort of."

"What do you mean?"

I hated this part. "Because I have none of my knowledge as a Time Lord. It's all locked away with the Scourge. The only way I know to get my knowledge back is to release the Scourge again...and I can't do that."

"So that's why you weren't considered dangerous. They didn't find any information about advanced knowledge in your mind when they examined you."

"Yeah...that's me. The idiot with the time machine."

"Hence the guards." James nodded. "They're worried that you might release the Scourge again, and they're not taking any chances."

"So here I am. They don't think I can help, and they're concerned about my motivations when I do help."

"Well, let's be honest...they're also dealing with a lot right now." There was something in his eyes that made me wonder if he wasn't feeling the same way I was.

"When are they not? Look, James, I'm going to go for a walk, clear my head...get out of their way. I wish you better luck than me dealing with this." As I got up, I saw James stand and head out. He looked like he had someplace in mind to go.

That made one of us.

* * *

The walk took me around the downtown of National City. Kara's workplace was easy to find, but the thought of showing up unannounced and unexpected made for an unwelcome surprise. She was already in a bad mood, and showing up at CatCo wouldn't help. I swear, I'm getting a warmer welcome from the so-called "supervillains". At least with Silver Banshee and Livewire, I actually got a meal and talking out of it. Maxima was talkative enough.

Maybe I should've taken up my kidnappers on their offer. How sad is THAT?

Well, they don't plan to dissect me at the DEO. Yet.

As I mused about that, I heard tires screeching to a halt and several men pile out of a plain looking van. What wasn't plain were the weapons they were carrying. The hard part wasn't figuring out what they were: meson particle rifles. What I couldn't figure out is what they were doing on Earth! Those weapons were about eighty-four years ahead of technology levels here, which meant they were alien make.

I considered going after them, then remembered the DEO. They weren't exactly happy about the work I did dealing with Metallo. I should just leave it to the experts. Who probably wanted some people to take their frustrations out on.

Who were perfectly happy without my help.

Who had a bad view of me as it was.

….oh, who am I KIDDING?

I moved towards their getaway vehicle. First things first. Hmmm. Nice vehicle. Power doors, power locks, power windows, power steering…

I raised my sonic tool and aimed it at the vehicle, watching as the doors locked, the windows rolled up, the steering wheel locking up and the engine dying. I grinned as I walked past.

PowerLESS.

I looked inside and saw the thugs waving the weapons around. There's a reason why meson particle weapons get phased out soon after their conception. The particle chambers are generally made of crystalline metal or non-metal compounds to increase their efficiency. I blinked. Not sure how I knew that, but it sounds relevant, and it gave me an idea. I sorted out which were holding meson particle weapons and…

"WHAT are you doing here?"

Normally, I'd be glad to see Supergirl, but with her mood, not right now. Still… "They're carrying meson particle weapons...you might want to wait before going in." Almost…

"Wait for what?" she asked, then heard the weapons powering down, the lights on the sides going out. I didn't need superhearing to know I'd found the right frequency.

"Wait for me to use the resonant frequencies of the particle chambers to rupture them, thereby activating the shutdown for the weapons." I pocketed the sonic tool. "All yours. They were being kinda belligerent, so if you are feeling particularly gentle today, don't bother."

Supergirl looked at me, then walked through the doors. I walked away from the bank. I knew this song already, I didn't need to see how it ends. Besides, I was feeling a bit hungry...and I was not eager to head back to the DEO to get chewed out by Henshaw again for getting involved.

Today, I'm going for a walk in the park. That is until I felt the tap on my shoulder. The very strong, feminine tap.

I stopped. "Well, that didn't take long. Let me guess: you want to have a nice long talk with me about this." I turned around, only I was surprised to see that Supergirl wasn't angry.

"Yes, but not the way you think."

I wanted to be angry at her, I wanted to be sarcastic and mean-spirited and let her know EXACTLY how I felt during my time with the DEO. But that look on her face...every caustic comment I'd thought about just went away. I couldn't be mad at a face like that.

Dammit. "All right. Fine. I was going to get something to eat." Grrrrrrrr. "Want to come with me?"

"Mind if I change first?"

"Go right ahead. I'll wait here." As she flew off, I suppose I should be glad I wasn't asked to hold her purse or something like that.

* * *

"So….what's up?" I asked over a Big Belly Double Trouble Burger and fries.

"I wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier. I was frustrated about finding out that a DAXAMITE had come here, to Earth."

"And we don't like Daxamites?"

"Their entire race are...elitist...stuck-up...!"

"Okay, I get it, calm down. I was worried you were going to pop a gasket, start throwing things around...maybe even use a profane word."

"They're just….the WORST." She took a long sip of her drink. "And I let myself get bothered by it, and I know you just wanted to help."

"Forget about it." _Besides, I'm getting used to that kind of reaction._ "You know, last time I had one of these, I was dealing with two other frustrated women. Maybe it's something in the food that helps…"

"Two other women? Who? Do I know them?"

"Well….probably."

"Who?"

"Uh...you probably know them as...uhm...Livewire and Silver Banshee?" Oh man, I probably shouldn't have done that while she was drinking her soda. I just made carbonated soda come out of Supergirl's nose. "Hey, it wasn't that bad…!"

"LIVE...Livewire _and_ Silver Banshee?!" she whispered hoarsely. "How did THAT happen?"

"Well, I got them lunch. They were kind of in hiding at the time…"

"You AIDED and ABETTED two known criminals!"

"I didn't know they were criminals! I just thought it was just Livewire and she was hungry, so I did her a solid, then we went to eat at a burned out club and then Silver Banshee showed up. We ate, I left them alone and they left me alone." I ate some fries, realizing that her stunned expression was not going away anytime soon. "What was I supposed to do, convince them to turn themselves in? The GOOD GUYS don't listen to me, I'm not about to go all John Law on them and end up as a hostage."

"When didn't we listen to you?" she asked.

"Are you kidding me? If I didn't have an automatic translator working for me, I would've thought the most common Earth greeting at the DEO was, 'NOT NOW!' Henshaw, Alex, even you. Kara, I get it, you guys are dealing with a lot, and I want to try and help you. But I'm not going to force myself into your situations if you don't want me there. I'm not here to make things worse."

Kara sighed. "The truth?"

"I can handle it."

"Gambler...it's too much of a risk. You're the last of your kind, and I know a little of what that's like. But you're not like me, or Hank, or the others at the DEO. We're trained, extremely resistant to damage, and we know how things work here on Earth. You've already admitted that you aren't familiar with this Earth, and you don't have a lot of experience or superhuman abilities to fall back on if things get difficult. Look at Wynn. He's a valuable part of the DEO, and has a lot of skills that have helped us out. I just think that, until you get your bearings, find your feet, that you should just stay out of sight. Cadmus is still interested in you, probably wanting to find out what value you could have...even biologically. Do you want to take that chance?"

"I can do plenty, I have…"

"A device that could be taken away and, if reverse-engineered, can cause a lot of trouble. Right?"

I didn't think there was a possibility of that happening, but they were clearly worried about the possibility. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Lay low, research our world, find your place in it. Just give it time."

"Nice touch, that." I sighed. "Fine. I'll lay low, stay out of the way. Maybe I'll check out a few books from the library?"

"Considering what happened the last time you went to a library, Gambler, maybe you should look into getting an audiobook service instead?"

I hated to hear it, but maybe I should give that a try. Look around, listen, learn...maybe grab a drink now and then. Couldn't hurt, I suppose. "I'm going to get more food, take it to go. Want me to grab you anything?"

"No, thanks. You think fighting Metallo was tough? Try maintaining the kind of figure needed to fit into my clothes."

* * *

I should've known it wasn't going to be easy.

Supergirl and the DEO got into some more trouble, and it took a lot to stay in my cell, er, room. A few revelations about the bartender at that alien-friendly bar, like how the bartender was a Martian, just like Hank. Some bitch named Roulette who was hosting alien bloodsports, it's been an interesting...and appalling month.

I've been cooling my heels, trying to do research and learn from this place, but files at the DEO are notoriously encrypted and the newspapers are not exactly the sort of thing you use for researching. While I was able to catch up on Supergirl's exploits, apart from discovering that Cat Grant seems to really like Supergirl, there really wasn't a whole lot to go on. I was no closer to being of much use to anyone here, a fact that became glaringly clear when Supergirl was KIDNAPPED by Cadmus. This was, of course, right after dealing with a parasite that makes its host into a leech-like creature that feeds on the life-force of other beings.

Supergirl may have run into some trouble, but, with the help of everyone at the DEO, she was doing just fine. Well, everyone but me. I was starting to feel as useful to the DEO as a spare tire was on the Titanic. Actually, wasn't much help there, either.

I popped my head up for air after Kara returned, only to find that there was a new guardian on the streets, named "Guardian", of course. Plus, Thanksgiving is here, really popular with Earth-types...and I really don't have much to be thankful for.

I went to the Alien Bar to see if I could drown my sorrows, only to find that Mon-El was there...and even an idiot could tell he was waiting for Kara, after brushing off the advances of a couple of the other alien women there. More good news. Looks like the place was going to be getting a little more money out of me. Didn't have much, but then, I didn't have anything to spend it on except hooch.

Just then, I saw Mon-El leave the bar, going after some big guy in a hoodie. Before I could even wonder what was going on, that's when it hit. I felt a roughness in my chest, as if my lugs had been re-upholstered in sandpaper. I started to cough, and saw that I wasn't the only one; other people were starting to cough and wheeze, and falling over.

Wait,...not everyone. The humans seemed fine. Only ALIENS were suffering from whatever was affecting them...affecting ME.

I tried to stand up, but my legs weren't working right, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. I felt my strength draining out of me as I found the strength to turn my head. All the other aliens were dying. I was dying.

I've never been more scared in my entire life...because I knew what was coming.

Suddenly, Mon-El was there, and he looked fine. "Gambler? Gambler!"

Speaking was AGONY. Speaking was like arm-wrestling SUPERGIRL. But somehow, I managed to get out what I needed to say. "...TARDIS…." Then I blacked out.

* * *

I woke up in an isolation cell in a hospital bed, all kinds of tubes hooked up to me. I HAD to get to the TARDIS! I tried to look around, but I was almost catatonic. I could feel whatever it was that did this still coursing through my body. Every cell was starting to die. "...TAR….DIS…."

"He's awake!" I heard Alex calling out to someone, then other steps moving. Henshaw. Supergirl. Good. Maybe they'll actually help me. "Gambler?"

I took a breath, as deep as I could, and pushed myself up in bed. "...get me...to the...TARDIS…..NOW….!"

"We can't, not until we know what happened to you and the other aliens. Mon-El is fine, but you're the only other one who survived."

"I….DIDN'T...survive...I'm DYING...and you...NEED TO….get me….into the TARDIS...FAST!" I could feel it coming. Under these conditions, I wasn't sure how long I had left.

"You're in quarantine. Look, everything's going to be fine," Supergirl said reassuringly. "We'll help you. We'll save you, somehow."

Good GRAVY, but these people could be dense. "I'M...NOT the one….THAT NEEDS SAVING….RIGHT NOW….GET me into my TARDIS...BEFORE I KILL EVERYONE…!"

"What are you talking about?" Henshaw asked, but I could see in Supergirl's face that she was starting to understand, though she couldn't know what it was she was understanding.

"Hank...I think we need to do as he says." She pointed at me, and I looked to where she was pointing. My right hand was starting to glow a gold color. Dammit, it was starting already and I had no idea how long I could hold it off. "We need to get him in a hazmat suit or something."

"...no...time….left…" Dammit. It was going to happen...maybe the quarantine room would be strong enough...no way to know for sure.

Henshaw looked at me, then said, "In for a penny, in for a pound. Come on. We can't leave him in there. Alex, clear the halls. We'll have to do this, Supergirl." She nodded and prepared herself as Henshaw opened the door. They rushed in, picking me up and pulling me out of bed. My other hand was starting to glow now. They literally flew me towards the TARDIS and got me to the door in record time.

"...open...sesame…" I said, my voice barely a whisper now. I didn't know what was going to happen next. The TARDIS doors opened wide for us and Supergirl carried me inside, followed by Henshaw, and the doors slammed shut behind us. I felt surrounded by the energy of the Time Vortex.

Thank goodness. "You can put me down now, Supergirl...and you might want to step back a bit."

"Are you all right? You sound stronger. Is this TARDIS healing you?"

"No...I'm dying. You know….I'm going to miss this old body. We've been through a lot, you know."

"Stop talking like that! We can help you, we can heal you, we can DO SOMETHING…!" Supergirl said desperately.

I chuckled a little. "Tears, Kara Zor-el?" I nodded. "Look...you need to understand when it happens...and I need to tell you something before it does." I looked at the two of them, then finally at Kara again. "You're easy to fall for, you know. You're sweet, caring, smart, funny…"

"Gambler…" she said, but I held up a hand.

"...not finished yet. Still got a lot to do. But before you see the last of this face, I just wanted to you know that I'm really glad I got to meet you. Both of you. Everyone at the DEO. You've all been great to me...and I just wanted you all to know that before I went. I hope I've been at least a little great to you, too." I could feel it now, the energy coursing through me. I had no idea what to expect, how it would react in this reality.

Was I crying?

I opened my eyes to a storm of sound and light. My TARDIS was on fire. There were two people in here with me! A man and a woman. WHOA, what a woman! They were staring at me.

RIGHT! Spot check!

"WOW! Oh my God! I've got a spine! It itches, but I like it!" I looked down. "Okay, so far, so good, two legs, torso, nice enough size….LOVING the new spine!" I kept examining myself. "Good, arms, hands, all ten fingers!" I looked up at the two people...I keep thinking I should know them. "I was worried I'd be missing a few! WAIT! MIRROR!" I turned to the side and pushed aside an armoire, showing a cracked mirror. BOY, but I was a lanky guy. Some muscles, nice, but I had to check out my face. Two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth...but the FEATURES. Chiseled face, high cheekbones, and just LOOK at that JAWLINE. Looks like the prow of a ship!

I turned back to the two strangers...WAIT! I I know them! One of them is Supergirl...KARA! Yes, and the annoyed looking one is called HENSHAW! I'm pretty sure of it. Imagine how AWKWARD it's going to be if I mix them up. "SUPERGIRL!" I said, pointing to the one in the red-and-blue outfit. "In the skirt!"

"Yes...who are you?"

What a silly question. "I'm the Gambler, of course. Who else would I be? And YOU must be HENSHAW!" I walked forward to shake their hands and they stepped back a bit. Oh, right, I'M the silly one. They're probably put off by the whole "burning TARDIS" thing. "Look, let's go outside while I sort this out. I need to let the TARDIS go off somewhere safe."

"But…"

"COME ON! No time. Out, out, out, shoo!" The doors opened and I pushed them out of the TARDIS, then turned back. "Go on, I'll be here when you get back!" The TARDIS, flames coming from the opened door, closed the doors and dematerialized quickly. "Good boy! Now…"

I turned around to see Supergirl, Henshaw, and a dozen men with guns pointing them at me. I sighed. "LOOK, can I, Supergirl and your boss have the room, what I have to say next is kind of delicate. Please?"

The men turned to look at Henshaw, who nodded. The men filed out and the door closed. "Whoever you are...explain yourself."

"Whoever...I'm the Gambler!"

"The Gambler died! We saw him explode, and you just...took his place!" Supergirl started forward and I remembered that she could punch holes in battleships, better to explain the Dummies version.

"Not exactly. Uhm...okay, that Gambler did die, sort of...but Time Lords go through this process when their bodies die...we regenerate. A whole new life cycle. This was my first, so I didn't know what to expect, wanted to play it safe. I knew the TARDIS would be the safest place to regenerate."

"So...you're the Gambler."

"I am, just not the Gambler you know." I spun around once. "New body, new experiences, new rules!"

"Do you remember...being the old Gambler?" Supergirl asked, her face unreadable.

I smiled. "Every single moment. It's all coming back to me, new body, new face, BUSY day." I paced a bit. "I remember how you told me about your sister coming out, I know Henshaw here isn't the REAL Henshaw, but a Green Martian, don't worry, Henshaw, like your version better." I felt so FULL of life. If I'd known I was going to feel this good, I might've been less apprehensive about dying. "I know Wynn is the son of the Toymaker, and this is my sonic…!" I pulled out my sonic tool, only to see that it was, well, more fried than a Big Belly Burger Spicy Chicken Sandwich. "Oh...damn."

"Wait. You can fully regenerate after death. Completely." Supergirl was looking less contrite and more mystified.

"Yep. Fully functional." I smiled, then I felt a RUSH go through me. "Oh….OH!"

"What is it?" Henshaw asked.

I shook my head, then looked up and smiled. "I'm CLEVER again...all the things I learned, all the knowledge I had before when I was the Scourge...it's all BACK! Minus the genocidal and megalomaniacal tendencies, thank GOD." I looked at my new hands.

"The question remains: what kind of Gambler are you?"

Leave it to the Martian-in-Charge to cut right to it. "I haven't the foggiest idea...but I can't WAIT to find out! Let's go to your lab. I want to work on what happened to those aliens in there."

"YOU want to work in a lab?"

"Yeah, I know, last time didn't go so well, but I'm not going to do anything flammable this time. Honest."

Henshaw looked at Supergirl. "Normally I'd be against this, but...the sooner we resolve this, the sooner we can figure out how this happened. We'll keep an eye on you, Gambler, rest assured."

* * *

"All right, Gambler….here's the lab. Now, we don't have many samples, so you're only going to have one to work with." Henshaw handed me the slide and I took it over to the microscope. This was EXCITING! I looked it over for about ten minutes, the eyes of the three of them boring into my back like they all had heat vision instead of just the one. I double-checked the results, which I didn't like, then frowned.

"Well, this is going to be awkward."

Kara groaned. "Please tell me you haven't spent all this time trying to figure out how the microscope works!"

"It's a virus."

Henshaw said, "We suspected that much…"

"...and what makes it AWKWARD is that it's designed to attack any sentient species that isn't KRYPTONIAN." I turned to look at Supergirl. "So it does sorta narrow down our list of suspects."

"WAIT. How do you KNOW it won't affect Kryptonians?!" Alex asked me. Oh yeah, she still thinks I'm in Moron Mode.

"Section 6908725 of the genetic markers. It's a programmable genetic vector. That's why Mon-El isn't choking out in his cell. Daxamites and Kryptonians evolved along similar genetic lines, apparently. See for yourself. I'll wait." I pushed my chair away from the desk so that the others could look it over, then picked up three empty flasks. I wonder how good I am at juggling. "While you're at it, you MIGHT want to check out if the Fortress of Solitude has had any unexpected visits lately." I started with one, then two, and finally all three. HEY! I was GOOD at this!

Alex walked over to me. "Why?"

"It's a Kryptonian weapon. Designed by Kryptonians. And who's got the biggest Kryptonian database around? Probably accessible only by Kryptonians, through genetic locks. Hmmm...so, Kara, make any donations to the Red Cross recently?"

Kara blinked, then said grimly, "CADMUS."

"So…." I resisted the urge to smile, Kara was clearly distressed over the revelation and I didn't want to make light of her distress. "Think I might end up being a tad more useful nowadays?"

"We'll see, Gambler. I've got a few more aptitude tests for you to run, now that you seem less likely to be mystified by them." Henshaw smiled. "You feel up for them?"

I couldn't keep from smiling at that. "Bring it on."

.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED…..


	4. Chapter 4

**Time Enough For Heroism, Part 4: I Get My Groove Back**

 **By C. Mage**

.

.

If I'd known that I was going to end up this popular for all the wrong reasons, I would've had second thoughts about dying.

The DEO was up in arms about Medusa, and Supergirl certainly wasn't doing any better. She came to me twice, asking, even demanding to be taken back to Krypton to speak to her father and demand to know why he would even create a bioweapon like that. When I explained that there were serious dangers involved with going back within one's own timestream, she expressed her displeasure by punching a wall and leaving the room in a huff. Yeah, that doorjamb won't be a threat to anyone anymore.

I knew there was something I had to do, but...wait. SHE couldn't go to Krypton within her own timeline...but there was nothing outright about me doing it without her! Well, not egregiously, but she needed some connection to her home, and if the Medusa virus was created before she was born, or at least before coherent memories, then I could go there…as long as I didn't make any changes.

Only one problem. My TARDIS hadn't come back yet, and I wasn't about to stoop to using a Vortex Manipulator, even if I did have one. Do you have any idea what using one of those is like? Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.

Okay. Put a pin in that one.

If Cadmus IS planning something...maybe I can draw them out…

* * *

I looked up briefly as I sat in the park. You know, feeding the birds is actually rather relaxing. Helps to pass the time while waiting for someone. I don't even bother to look up as SHE sits down on the bench next to me. "Hello, Gambler," she said cordially. "That disguise of yours might've been more convincing if you didn't insist on using the same wardrobe. You're looking rather well, for a dead alien. I'm amazed that Medusa didn't kill you."

"It did. I'm still a bit angry about that. Not just that you murdered me, but you murdered all the aliens in that bar as well." I looked down at my hands. "This is new."

"A message needed to be sent. 'The Earth is protected from aliens now.' All we have to do now is tailor it for Kryptonians and…"

"Stop. Just...stop." I put the bag of popcorn down and turned to look at her. "Time for you to get the message. The Earth IS protected now...by ME. So take your little Cub Scout army and retire, Lillian. Stop killing people. The Earth needs better protectors than a pack of racists and bigots."

"Who, like YOU?" She laughed. "Not only are you one of the aliens we're trying to protect the Earth from, but you are only one person. I have this park filled with undercover operatives. You couldn't even detect them coming, let alone stop them from coming into the park. If that is your application for 'Defender Of Earth,' you're not exactly making a wonderful first impression at the interview."

"Really? Call one of them. Call any of them. Ask them where they are now."

Lillian gave me an exasperated look and said, "Blue Team, sitrep." She paused. "Blue Team, respond and give your current position." Lillian paused again, looking at me while I continued to feed the birds. "Red Team, report….Green Team, report!"

"You could go through all the colors of the rainbow, and they won't answer. All of your teams are currently out cold and back at your base, lying next to each other like dominoes. Don't worry, they're completely unharmed, but will likely be terminally embarrassed." I smiled. "You're all alone out here, Lillian Luthor."

"And I suppose you brought me here to give me some threat to life, limb, public image or sanity, is that it?" Lillian scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. This is a rather public place for any displays of pow…" Her voice trailed off as she realized that the park was empty. There wasn't a single person in sight.

"I'm not here to threaten you, Luthor." I stood up and looked down at her. "I'm here to tell you the truth. I'm here to protect EVERYONE on this planet from everyone trying to harm it...regardless of whether or not they're natives. I'm here to tell you to pack up your tents, retire and find something else to put your unreasoning hatred upon. I'm going to give you a month; pull out of the monstrosity game gracefully. Pick up a hobby or two. Try to reconnect with your daughter; she seems to be a decent person. Maybe even make an apology to Supergirl and Superman while you're at it."

"And if I decide that you're just as big a threat to the Earth as every other alien out there?"

I started walking away. "Not every alien is here to cause death and destruction, Luthor. Just like not every human is here to cause pain and misery. But for the ones that are, they're going to find out they attacked the wrong planet."

"I'll never stop trying to destroy you and every alien creature on this planet, Gambler. And I'm not going to come willingly to the slaughter. If you come after me, you'll find that this is a very BIG world."

I stopped and turned back to look her in the eyes. "You'll stop, Luthor. Because if you keep hurting innocent people, you're going to make me angry. And the world can be a very small neighborhood when you've made me angry with you." I nodded to the half-empty bag of popcorn on the bench. "Try feeding the birds for a while. Think about your options." I put my hands in my pockets, deactivating the perception filters, making a note to collect them on my walk around the park.

That woman makes me angry. I shouldn't like that.

And yet, I do...and that concerns me.

* * *

Looks like the Luthors weren't ALL bad.

Cadmus was all set to send a missile to cover the area in Medusa, but they were stopped not by me, but by Lena Luthor, the estranged daughter. Lena suckered her mother into adding a different isotope to the mix, making the Medusa virus about as dangerous as strawberry jelly. Pretty impressed, actually. Anyone who can con someone as devious as Lillian Luthor certainly deserves the recognition.

Not to mention proving that she is definitely someone to watch...and not because she's easy on the eyes.

As for Kara, she and her sister seem to be reaching some sort of equilibrium, and Henshaw isn't yelling at me as much, so that's an improvement. I think I've finally gotten them to realize that I'm not here to harm anyone, and that I have the means to help them.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to apply for the position of DEO's Most Valuable Pet Alien. But these people need help, even though they're not eager to ask for it. And it took a long time for me to realize that it's not all about me, so if I can help them, I will.

Besides...I've grown rather fond of Earth.

* * *

I walked into the main center of the DEO to find Wynn with a black eye and Alex being absolutely GIDDY, and Alex is never giddy on duty. "Hello, Alex...you seem in good spirits today."

She turned to me and smiled. Alex doesn't usually smile when addressing me, so I took this as a good sign. "I am, thank you very much, Gambler."

I could tell right off why. "Sounds like someone's in love," I said with a knowing grin.

"And what makes you so sure?" she asked casually.

"Trust me. I have TWO hearts. I know. It's nice seeing you happy, I know you've been through it, but…"

"Hold that thought." I saw her cross the ops floor to see a certain lady cop walking in. You know, for a place that deals wtih supers and aliens, it seems like they'll let ANYONE in here. Wait. Scratch that. Maybe I shouldn't be so picky; they let ME in here…

"Gambler!" I broke out of my musings as Alex ran over. "Have you seen Kara?"

"Not since this morning. I assumed she went to work."

"She's not here or there, and neither is Mon-El." That dark look returned. "I should've known better…"

"Where was she last?"

"She was following up on a missing persons case. She found out that all the people who vanished went to the same place to receive blood tests. She's not answering her phone and neither is Mon-El." Alex's mood was now a complete one-eighty from the way she looked before. "I should've known something like this would've happened…!"

"Alex? HALT. CEASE. DESIST. This is not your fault. Let's talk with Henshaw and follow up on this. I'm coming with you."

"I need to talk to Maggie."

"Do that. I'll talk to Henshaw."

* * *

We showed up at the clinic to find the doors open and the offices deserted. We moved down into the basement, finding an arch of metal with a control panel sitting on a short pedestal to the left of it. As soon as I saw it, I knew this thing was going to be trouble. I moved to the pedestal.

"What is this?" Alex asked.

I was about to answer, but Henshaw beat me to the draw. "It's a transmatter portal. A way of moving between worlds. Can you open it?"

I looked over the controls. I shook my head. "There's absolutely no encryption on the controls, no locking mechanism. Probably to get the portal to open as fast as possible before people got too suspicious."

Alex looked over my shoulder. "You can read that?"

"Underwater, with the lights off and my eyes shut." I tapped a series of buttons and the portal not only opened, but the display told me what the destination was. "Hey...what do you know about a planet called, 'Maaldoria'?"

Henshaw's tone went dark. "Epicenter of the galactic slave trade."

"SLAVE TRADE? I've known about this planet for six seconds and I already despise the place. Wait, Supergirl and Mon-El went through, wouldn't they be ripping the place down the middle by now?"

"Maaldoria has a red sun."

Alex managed to look even more distressed. "They'd be helpless."

Winn spoke up. "Well, then it's a good thing we've got the Martian Manhunter to kick some butt, right?"

Henshaw didn't look enthusiastic. "Maaldoria's atmosphere is toxic to Martians."

Alex turned to look at the portal. "Then we're on our own?"

"Not quite." Everyone turned to me. "You may not have the option for a Martian or a Kryptonian or a Daxamite...but you've still got a Time Lord." I smiled. "And I have something they don't, apart from a lack of vulnerabilities."

"What's that?" Alex asked.

I smiled, then put my fingers to my lips and whistled, then turned to Alex. "We don't need a portal to get there." Behind me, my TARDIS faded into view with a slight thump.

Alex blinked. "Are you saying you could've done that at any time?"

"Yeah, pretty much." I turned back to the console. "How lovely, time-space coordinates...got it." I started to tap on the control module for the portal. "I'm going to leave this open, make sure they don't think we actually have a Plan B for getting off-planet." I finished activating the portal, then went to the door of the TARDIS, turning to Alex and the others. "Winn, you're with me."

"Uh...no. No, I can't. I can't go…" he stammered, then walked away from the group. Alex looked at me, then went after Winn to talk to him.

As they talked, Henshaw walked over to me. "Are you sure you want to do this? You just...regenerated. You're not exactly the same person you were before, admit it."

"Trust me. Whatever face I wear, I'm the Gambler. And I'm not going to stand by and do nothing, because if I do, I'm helping the Bad Guys." I nodded. "Besides, if Supergirl and Mon-El are de-powered, that's going to complicate things. We don't know what's waiting for us on the other side."

"Agreed."

I saw Winn coming over, looking less unsure. "Okay, I'll get the portal going and…"

I fired up the portal. "Come on, Winn. You're traveling first class." I went to the TARDIS, which opened at my approach. "Give me a few moments to sort things out?"

"Don't take too long," Henshaw cautioned.

"I'll be sure to get there a minute ago. Just a few moments?" I moved inside, closing the doors and closing my eyes. "All right. Show me."

I turned around to see that the whole steampunk decor was gone, replaced by light, light from everywhere. The walls, floors and ceiling were covered with constructs that seemed to be made of light. The central console was no different, the controls all made of coherent light, and the oscillating time rotor was a mass of crystalline structures. I ran my fingers over the controls, feeling the slight give, touching the coherent light. "Well...LOOK at YOU." I looked over the ceiling, which showed a starlight sky that shifted, Gallifreyan symbols ringing the edges. "You have OUTDONE yourself, my friend...I am impressed with the new look."

A slight bleeping sound drew my attention as something rose from the console...a sonic screwdriver! Silver metal with blue lighting...it was PERFECT. I picked it up and put the old one in its place, where it would be absorbed back into the TARDIS. "Thanks, pal." I patted the console, then came back to the door and opened. "Come on in, Winn. I only travel with the best."

He entered the TARDIS and the doors closed gently behind him. He looked around in wide-eyed wonder, like a kid who just landed on Hedgewick's Amusement Planet for the first time. "Wow….SOMEBODY is a TRON fan...is this...a dimensionally-shifted construct?"

I blinked. Usually, people who come in just say that it's bigger on the inside. "Well, TARDIS stands for, 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.' So, congratulations, you're the first to recognize it for what it is." I felt immensely better knowing he was on board.

"And it's a time machine? So you could go…"

"EVERYWHERE." I grinned. "Business before tourism. Maaldoria...here we come!"

* * *

Winn and I stepped out of the TARDIS, the portal within sight. "Isn't someone going to notice the big silver cylinder out in the middle of…?" He stopped as he looked behind him at the rock face of the small hill we just exited. "Nice. Camouflage."

We turned as Alex came through with a group of DEO troops. "Okay, Gambler. You better know what you're doing."

I raised my sonic tool and moved it around, then found a series of signals. "This way. Winn, stay by the TARDIS. We may need to make a fast exit. The TARDIS will let you in. NO JOYRIDING." I grinned as I walked with Alex and the other troops

As we made our way to the station, I reviewed the information I gathered while scanning the area. "This place doesn't much in the way of sustainable life. They must have had more...ah. Planet's got traces of complex mineral compounds that could've been quite lucrative for any spacefaring culture. All gone, now. The station must be an old mining outpost. Probably upgraded the locks, but kept the storage chambers intact."

"You're certainly not the Gambler we first met." Alex smiled. "So, how do we get in?"

"Front door."

"Won't they get a bit nervous seeing a group of armed aliens coming?"

"Nope." I took out one of the perception filters and hung it around my neck. "They won't even see us coming."

Alex turned to look at me in shock, then blinked. "Where did you go?"

"Still here. Just employed a little tech that'll make us harder to notice. It's called a perception filter. People looking at us won't be able to, because their eyes will suddenly want to look in a different direction. The next best thing to being invisible."

"Weird."

"That's me all over."

* * *

We made our way into the station easily enough. There were only two guards and I made sure there were more interesting things to see than us. "Stay close, everyone, the filter's effects aren't that wide."

Alex looked at the control panel for the door. "Give me a few minutes. I'll have this door open before…" The door started to slide open as she ended with, "...I finish my sentence?" The troops moved to the sides as soon as the door opened, revealing some humanoid aliens I didn't recognize...and a human woman wearing a slinky red dress, slit up the side. Oh yes. THIS woman was Trouble.

"Hi there. We're lost. Can you direct us to the nearest Howard Johnson's?"

The woman looked at me, her mind wrestling with the absurdity, which distracted her long enough for Alex and the DEO guards to disarm her guards. "Well, well...ROULETTE. Long time, no want to see. Last time I saw you, you were running an alien bloodsport racket and you were working really hard trying not to be found and arrested."

I blinked. ALIEN BLOODSPORTS? I was starting to seriously rethink my stance on not killing people. "REALLY?"

Roulette looked at me. "And who are you supposed to be? Marshal Dillon?"

"Lady, and I'm using that term gratuitously, I am the LAST alien in the cosmos that you want to make angry right now. So you're going to show me where all the slaves are being kept. ALL of them."

"And why should I?" She scoffed. "I don't see an 'S' on your chest, so you'll excuse me if I'm not particularly impressed." I looked at her for a moment, then drew my Schofield and put a bullet through one high-heeled foot. WOW, could she shriek. She managed to collect herself enough to shoot me a look filled to the gills with hatred. "YOU….SHOT ME!"

"You impressed now?" I moved in closer. "And before you start thinking you're clever, you're right...I DON'T have an 'S' on my chest, so you should really consider the sorts of things Supergirl and Superman won't do, and what I might do."

As we made our way deeper into the station, Roulette hobbling along with her foot bandaged up, Alex looked at me. "You really shouldn't have done that. The DEO has rules."

"Then I guess it's a good thing that I'm not officially part of the DEO, so I can get away with things like that. Admit it. She had it coming. Kidnaping people, selling them off as slaves? She's lucky I only shot her ONCE."

My sonic tool beeped at me and I held it up. "Interesting. I'm getting some energy readings from this direction. Looks like it might be the control center. I'm going to head that way, see what I can do to make life more difficult for the Maaldorians here. I've got my sonic tuned to your frequency, we can talk that way."

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Alex asked. "Let me just send a couple of operatives with you."

"I'll be just fine. Trust me." I grinned, then took off down the corridor. As I ran, I saw a pair of guards coming down the corridor. They looked up at me as I stopped, then pushed my long coat back, revealing my pistols. They looked like long-handled Colt .45s, but I'd done some work on them. Now, instead of lead, they fired meson bursts. "FILL YOUR HANDS, YOU LILY-LIVERED POLECATS!" I yelled, a fierce joy bursting within me.

Heaven couldn't be any better than this.

They pulled their rifles up, but I was there first, and they went down without nary a sound. I continued on, finding that most of the guards relied on devices used to subjugate the slaves through the collars that they wore. Very few were actually armed, probably to prevent the accidental or capricious death of the "merchandise".

Somebody's going to pay for this.

* * *

I found the control center, but that wasn't the only thing I found. Apparently, this wasn't just the Maaldorians' main office, it was also their leader's home. I put the perception filter back on to see four guards armed with glorified cattle-prods, one of the Maaldorians (I could tell because he was dressed better and looked more smug than the others), and five women of various alien races, all kneeling nearby with expressions on their faces that clearly stated, "I would rather be ANYWHERE but here, but I'm just trying to be dead inside so I don't have to think too much about being enslaved" and wearing collars around their necks, like they were PETS.

I used the sonic tool to disable their toys, then I decided it was time to introduce myself.

I put away the perception filter, which caused the leader to freak out just a little. "WHO ARE YOU?" he bellowed, making the collared women wince and pull away. "Where di you come from?"

"I'm the one shutting your operation down." I pulled my guns. "Back off, boys...the GROWN-UPS are talking. Anyone tries anything cute and your boss is going to end up with a new mouth...a few inches south of the one he was born with. Understand?"

"Move back, you fools!" the leader said, then narrowed his eyes at me. "I am Slavemaster Garet. Who are you?"

"I'm the Gambler." I looked around at the girls. "It's okay, ladies, everything is going to be all right."

"If you were intending to make an impression, Gambler, you succeeded...but you failed at everything else. The collars of the slaves here, until they're sold, are tied to my vital signs. Kill me, and they will die rather horribly."

"Let me guess. Biomonitor linked to your control center, linked to the slave collars, not to mention the security measures keeping this operation under control and running smoothly." I started backing up to the control console. "All so you can keep the slaves from doing something they really want to do, like reduce you to bite-size pieces. Heavily encrypted, of course."

"Of course. It would take several days for even the smartest human to unlock."

"Well, I've got some really bad news for you." I holstered the gun in my left hand and drew out my sonic tool, adjusting it. "I'm not human. I'm a TIME LORD." I activated the sonic tool, shutting down the control center in seven seconds. The collars on the slaves in the room detached and fell off, causing most of the women to reach for their throats in surprise...then their faces turned vengeful, their hands reaching for Garet's throat.

I turned to the guards. "Now that your weapons don't work and all the doors in this structure are now unlocked...NOW woukd be an excellent time to start RUNNING." They looked at each other and took off in silent, but hasty, agreement.

I turned back to the women, who were reducing Garet to an oily smear. "Ladies, we're getting out of here. ALL of us. If there's other slaves here, show me where." I turned as one of the women, an orange-skinned woman with green eyes, took my arm.

"I can show you."

"Good. Everyone, come with me."

When we met up with Alex and the others, I was extremely pleased to see that the kidnapped humans, along with Mon-El and Kara, were with them. "Where's Roulette?"

"Currently enjoying the five-star accommodations here. We need to move, NOW."

"What's up?"

"We just met the buyers," Kara said, then stopped as she saw the people, mostly women, following me. "Who are they?' she asked.

"Surprisingly unimportant right now! Let's move!" I picked up the rear to make sure that any stragglers didn't get left behind, as Mon-El joined me after picking up one of the guards' weapons. "Bet you were surprised when the gates started opening."

"Didn't notice. We sorta got out on our own."

"You escaped WITHOUT your powers?" I was officially impressed.

"Actually, it was all Kara's doing."

"Guess she wasn't as powerless as I thought. Nice work." I stopped as I saw the Maaldorians joined by a pair of thin, red-hued humanoid aliens. They looked at us threateningly, then lowered their weapons as they saw us...and then BOWED.

I held my guns up, but after seeing the gesture, I changed my mind about shooting. "Keep going!" I called out, seeing one of the female aliens fall. I holstered my guns. "Mon-El, cover me!" I yelled as I ran back, lifting the woman bodily and running back to join the group.

* * *

We left the station, thankfully without losing a single person. She's a super girl, that's for certain. We continued towards the portal, moving as fast as we could. By the time Mon-El and I had gotten to the portal, almost everyone had gone through, but the aliens who had bowed to Mon-El and I apparently hadn't gotten the word out to the rest of the Maaldorians. They were shooting at us to try and cut down as many people as they could.

Mon-El sent a lot of return-fire their way, but one of the Maaldorians got in a lucky shot, hitting the portal frame. I saw the portal horizon flicker and yelled, "MON-EL, FREEZE!" He stopped right before the portal deactivated, leaving Winn, Mon-El, myself and the woman I was carrying behind. "Quick, over here!" I whistled and the TARDIS opened for us, and we ran inside and the doors closed behind us.

I brought the woman I was carrying to a nearby sofa, then went to the control panel. Mon-El was looking arounf, then said, "It's….BIGGER on this INSIDE…!"

"IS it?" Winn asked, then turned to me. "Are we safe in here?"

"Trust me, that entire station could be dropped on us from five miles up and we wouldn't even feel the bump. All we need to do is head home."

"Home…" The woman stirred, then looked up at me. "I have no home to go to…"

"Well, neither do I...but you can come along with me."

Mon-El took a closer look. "That's a Tamaranean. Their planet was sacked, their people nearly destroyed. It was too far away for Daxam to intervene...but I doubt the rulers would've helped Tamaran even if it had been in the same planetary system," he added bitterly.

I shook my head. "The more I hear about your people, Mon-El, the less I like them. Come on." I went to the controls. "Next stop...Earth."

The TARDIS materialized in the DEO, right where it been before, and we walked out to encounter something I'd never experienced here: actual APPLAUSE at my arrival. "Hey, I think she needs medical attention," I said quickly, carrying the EX-slave out of the TARDIS.

"She's from Tamaran," Mon-El added.

"Come with me. We'll bring her to the the balcony outside." Henshaw moved quickly ahead and I followed along. The TARDIS closed behind me before anyone could sneak inside, thank Rassilon.

"Might filling in the new guy about people from Tamaran?" I said as we exited onto a wide, sunlit balcony.

"They gain energy from ultraviolet radiation," Henshaw said as he indicated a padded bench in direct sunlight, and I laid her on the bench. She was still dressed in her slave outfit, but in this situation, that was actually a good thing, since she could likely absorb more UV rays. "Supergirl and the others are en route. Think you can handle things from here?"

"Sure." I figured Mon-El would want to see Kara again, and it drove home the realization that Supergirl wouldn't be into me, probably ever. Mon-El connected with her, worked alongside her. I was more of an alien here than she was.

The Tamaranean was staring to look better already, not nearly as gaunt as she was before. Her eyes were closed, and she looked much more peaceful. She was actually smiling a little now. After spending Heaven-only-knows-how long stuck under a sun running way too short on UV rays and doing things I don't even want to think about…

She began to murmur in her sleep, then her eyes flew open. They were glowing green, with no pupils or irises, but I didn't need those to know she was startled. "Easy, miss, stay calm. You're safe. You're free." She looked up at me, then before I could react, she pulled my head down and planted one right on my lips.

Did not see that coming.

She drew her head back, then cocked her head slightly and said to me in Gallifreyan, "I thought your language would be simpler."

"What, wait, how do you know how to speak my language?"

"I can absorb the knowledge of a native's language simply by touching them."

"By kissing them?"

"Actually, touching them with my hand is sufficient."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

She smiled. "It wasn't just to learn your language. What is your name?"

"People call me the Gambler. What's your name?"

"I am Princess Koriand'r. Well...no longer princess. I am a slave, now. I suppose I am your slave."

"Uh, no, no and VOID, no. You're nobody's slave anymore. Not you and not anyone else there. Right now, the only ones there are a bunch of embarrassed Maaldorians."

"Not a slave….then….what do I do?"

"I figure 'anything I want' should be pretty high up there on your To-Do List. Just as long as you don't cause any trouble."

Just as I was saying that, Alex and Winn came out onto the balcony. "Gambler, we have to talk with you a-MMMPH!" That last sound was caused by Koriand'r standing up and walking over to Alex, kissing HER on the lips.

"And what does she do?" I asked myself sourly.

Koriand'r parted from the kiss, then said in English, "Much improved. This is the native language of this world, I can tell...good. I like this language better."

"Why, thank you," I said, tipping my hat sardonically.

"I am Koriand'r. It is an honor to meet the ones responsible for my freedom." She bowed deeply.

Alex turned to look at me, then said, "We're glad we were able to help you," she said, still a bit flustered over the greeting she received. Winn was trying not to stare at the amount of orannge skin that was being displayed. "We can provide you with clothing and a place to stay, and we can help you if you want to stay on Earth."

"I would! I have so many questions!" Koriand'r walked off with Alex, questioning her at rapid-fire speeds. I watched them go, then sat down on the bench. Winn walked over to the bench and sat down next to me.

"Nice work on Maaldoria."

"Thanks. Hey, you want to help me out with a few things?"

"Are you going to be gone long?"

"Winn, I have a time machine. We can go for a year and be back five seconds from now."

Winn smiled. "There is merit in your argument. But where are we going?"

"Krypton."

"Wait, you said that Krypton's destruction was a fixed event in time. Plus, we can't go back in time within Kara's existence…." His eyes brightened. "But nothing says we can't go back BEFORE her existence, right?"

"Spoken like a time traveller. Come on, while everyone is figuring out what to do with the refugees…"

* * *

As the door closed behind us, Winn walked over to the controls. "Wild…"

"Gambler, who is this?" Winn backed off, looking around.

"Be nice. Winn is a friend of mine."

"You? Make friends? Wonderful...now I need to rethink my entire universes."

"BE NICE." I turned to Winn. "Sorry. My TARDIS used to be owned by a really EVIL person, so the TARDIS can be a little bit...abrasive."

"Your time machine has an AI?"

"Not exactly. TARDISes aren't built...they're grown. A TARDIS is a living, conscious being. So please don't call the TARDIS 'an AI'. He'll get horribly offended." I walked to the controls. "We need to find a planet called Krypton. Used to exist a long time ago, was able to get the coordinates from a troublesome that looked like Kara's aunt." I slotted the sonic tool into the console.

"My, my, what trrouble you've been getting into. Shooting a defenseless woman in the foot?"

Winn's eyes went wide. "You shot someone in the foot?"

"It was Roulette, and she was the one responsible for the human trafficking."

"And you ONLY shot her in the foot?!"

"I've changed my mind." the TARDIS said approvingly. "I like this one."

"Don't YOU start," I said warningly.

Winn sat down on the nearby sofa. "This is going to be incredible. We're going to see Krypton."

"After traveling the first few million years, time travel gets a bit...humdrum."

"You're kidding me!" Winn said, shocked.

"I am. It NEVER gets old."

"I believe I've found the planet you're looking for. I'll bring it up on the display." The center console pulled up a full-color image of the solar system at the coordinates I'd provided. "This is just before it exploded." The image turned as I altered the timeline, showng the explosion in slow-motion, forward, then backwards. "Let's head back...before Kara Zor-El was born...twenty solar revolutions should do it." I dialed back the timeline, then stopped. "That date. That's where we're going."

"This is AWESOME…"

"Before you start planning which theme park rides you want to go on, remember that this is an alien planet. Just because Superman and Supergirl are nice people doesn't mean they all will be. We need to do some recon." I went to the dematerialization switch. "Next stop….Krypton."

I threw the switch.

* * *

As soon as we arrived, I activated the camouflage circuit so the locals wouldn't start shooting at us. That gets annoying after a while. I started scanning Krypton immediately, accessing their media centers to gain insight into their culture.

"Wow...we've actually travelled in time and space! This is SO cool…!"

"Well, afraid I've got some bad news for you...this is going to get tricky." I brought up another screen. "From what I've been able to gather so far, the culture is declining...like a falling brick. The planets government is an aristocracy. The people here aren't born, they're bred in a lab. MASSIVE cloning technologies at play here. Also, to say that Kryptonians are xenophobic is being KIND. They're also telepathic to some degree, capable of long-range communication. If we'd landed there, we would've been spotted in an instant." I pulled up some of the discussions being transmitted for public viewing. "School's in session. What are we seeing here?"

Winn took a closer look at the screen. "Everyone who's anyone has symbols on their chests, but while they're the same shape as Supergirl's emblem, there's different shapes. Aristocracy…House designations?"

"Bingo. And from what I can see, everyone is aligned to one House or another."

"So we'll need to look like we belong. Wait...I've seen Kryptonian script before, but everything's in English now?"

"That's the TARDIS at work. Universal translator. When we talk, they'll hear Kryptonian. I've got it. Best place to get information...a museum. Something small, out of the way...THERE. Museum on the edge of the city….Kandor. Hmm. Seems busy enough so we can blend in."

"Do we have to dress like they do?"

"Probably. Why? Hoping you won't look fat?" I said with a grin.

"I don't think any of these people have even HEARD of 'fat'."

"Not surprised. They probably removed the capacity at birth. Head down the corridor at the bottom of the stairs, I'm sending samples of Kryptonian fashions down to the matter-assembler. Hope you like being colorful."

* * *

"I feel ridiculous…"

"You feel ridiculous? I'm the one trying to hide that I've got two hearts. I swear, how do you people COPE?" We walked out of the TARDIS, now disguised as part of the wall near what I hoped were the bathrooms. As we walked out onto the floor, I began to wonder if people even came to these anymore. As far as I can tell, there were only two other people here, both men, one more physically formidable than the other, staring at what appeared to be a three-dimensional representation of a battle. I looked around, trying to find a terminal that wasn't out in public.

Winn took out his smartphone and typed into a text document, "Won't they be able to hear us?"

"They're not superhuman here…" I whispered back. "Just relax."

"Now what?" Winn asked.

"We download their cultural data files. Won't take long; they're data management technology is based on crystalline structures. Data transfer rate is considerable." I take out a sliver of crystal and open up a receptacle, placing it inside and using the sonic tool to have information downloaded onto the crystal.

"How long?"

"Eleven minutes, give or take." I closed the access port. "Come on, let's take in the sights." As we walked around, keeping our distance from the two men, I found the art in the museum intriguing, but somewhat pretentious.

"So...aren't museums kinda redundant for time travellers?" Winn whispered.

"On the contrary." I grinned. "It's how we keep score. Naturally, since this isn't my reality, there's not as much chance for me to recognize…" I stopped as I found myself in front of an abstract painting with vertical writing on the side, with a V-shaped symbol under it. I blinked, then a laugh escaped me. I couldn't help it, and I covered my mouth as I saw it.

"I thought you said that I could read any language. All that is just gibberish."

"That's not gibberish. That's GALLIFREYAN," I whispered back. "Look at the plaque. 'This classic piece of art has inspired Kryptonians for eons, although the artist has never been identified. This piece was donated by the House of Zod from their priivate collection, claiming that one of their ancestors painted this piece. The artistic scrollwork on the piece is especially cryptic, and has yet to be translated. One can only wonder at the mysterious meaning of the symbols, and the enigmatic nature of the symbols has only contributed to the intensity of the artist's soul-revealing message…" I had to stop, trying to keep the laughter from being heard, and I pulled Winn away to another section of the museum. "Oh…..DEAR….!"

"What's so funny?" Winn asked, a bit bewildered.

"I know what the Gallifreyan writing says," I managed to say between fits of mirth.

"What does it say?"

I managed to control myself long enough to get the words out: "THIS END UP." I had to sit down or fall down. Winn blinked for a few minutes, then I found him sitting on the bench next to me, laughing fit to split. We calm down and sit there, Winn's breathing a bit heavily. "I knew the Time Lords travelled to other realities, but I never heard anything about this in the Archives."

"I thought you said you didn't know how you got here."

"Going through the dimensional barriers used to be so much easier….now, they're mostly locked down to prevent causality problems. Different realities have different natural laws, and even the most minor change could have disastrous consequences. What gives you superpowers in this reality turns you into a corpse where I come from."

"Uh, how long before that crystal thing finishes downloading from the database?" Winn asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because those two guys over there aren't looking at the exhibits anymore."

I turned to see them looking directly at us. "Oh, DALEK droppings. Winn, don't worry. I have a cunning plan. Head back to where the TARDIS is, I'll stall them." I leaned my head back against the wall, closing my eyes, waiting for them to go after the weirder target.

Namely, me.

"You're unusually talkative in a museum," said the bigger guy warningly. "I find it offensive to hear of any citizen behaving like some child in a serious place like this. Who are you? What House do you owe your allegiance to?"

"Ah, well, there's a problem with that. But I'll tell you, feel free to speak to my sponsor in the room over there." I pointed, they turned, I put my own perception filter on and walked as quickly as I could over to where the crystal had hopefully finished recoording the data. As I popped the door open and yanked the crystal, I saw them looking around, then beat feet back to the TARDIS.

"Where did he go?" I heard the big guy demand, frustrated.

"I cannot tell," his friend replied.

I entered the TARDIS and dematerialized, FAST.

* * *

JOR-EL

That was certainly odd. "Did that seem odd to you? Unexpected? Perhaps even...capricious?"

"I find it suspicious." General Zod narrowed his eyes. "What were they doing that they needed to hide themselves? Were they spies from another world?"

"Spies at a museum?" I chuckled. "Old friend, I think you're being a bt more paranoid. If anything, I wish more of our people, spies or not, came here."

General Zod hmped. "Perhaps."

.

.

.

TO BE CONTIINUED….


End file.
